The influence of immunization on some functions of polymorphonuclear leucocytes in vitro.

Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) obtained from immunized guinea pigs possess an affinity to antigen. The guinea pigs were immunized with human serum albumin (HSA) in complete Freund's adjuvant. The ability of PMNL to bind antigen was tested by means of the functional disorders induced by antigen after incubation with PMNL. The "immune" PMNL appeared to be more responsive to antigen when compared to PMNL obtained from non-immunized animals. The antigen decreases oxygen consumption, the phagocytosis coefficient and 14C-glycine incorporation in the "immune" PMNLs in vitro and also induces leakage of some lysosomal hydrolases from PMNL in the course of an 18 hrs incubation period.