An antibody binding to human neutrophils demonstrates antigenic heterogeneity detected early in myeloid maturation which correlates with functional heterogeneity of mature neutrophils.

An IgG1 mouse monoclonal antibody (31D8) labels a subpopulation of human peripheral neutrophils. Heterogeneous binding to granulocyte precursors is seen in the bone marrow as early as the myelocyte stage of maturation. 31D8 binding is not affected by the in vitro stimulation or incubation of neutrophils. We demonstrate that the cells which bind 31D8 strongly (31D8-bright) are the same cells which depolarize, reduce nitroblue tetrazolium, and migrate chemotactically when stimulated with the chemoattractant N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine. Treatment with cytochalasin B modulates functional activity so that all cells depolarize or reduce nitroblue tetrazolium in response to this chemoattractant, but the heterogeneous binding of 31D8 does not change. The stable binding of 31D8 at 37 degrees C and during activation permitted characterization of the functional capacity of the two populations. These results demonstrate neutrophil heterogeneity early in myeloid maturation and correlate antigenic with functional heterogeneity. 31D8 will make it possible to study the significance of neutrophil heterogeneity in a variety of clinical situations.