Sulfhydryl reducing agents promote neutrophil adherence without increasing surface expression of CD11b/CD18 (Mac-1, Mo1).

The disulfide reducing agents dithioerythreitol and dithiothreitol, but not oxidized dithiothreitol, induced polymorphonuclear neutrophils to adhere to endothelial cells or to plastic. Adherence was inhibited by monoclonal antibodies 60.1 and 60.3, which are directed to functional epitopes on the CD11b and CD18 polypeptides of the neutrophil membrane adhesion complex (Mac-1, Mo1). The increased adherence induced by the sulfhydryl reducing agents was not accompanied by increased expression of CD11b/CD18. These studies demonstrate that a qualitative alteration in CD11b/CD18 is sufficient to promote neutrophil adherence.