Effect of plastic containers on liquid preservation of human granulocytes. I. With and without deoxyribonuclease and hydrocortisone.

We have characterized the effects of four types of plastic polymer containers--polyvinyl chloride (PL-146), bioriented-biaxial polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and polypropylene--on the in vitro recovery, viability, membrane integrity, and phagocytosis of human granulocytes (PMNL). Cells were collected by continuous-flow centrifugation leukapheresis (CFCL), then further isolated by counterflow centrifugation-elutriation (CCE), and stored at 4 to 6 C for up to 14 days at concentration of 6 X 10(6) PMNL/ml in medium with or without hydrocortisone (HC) or deoxyribonuclease (DNAase). Regardless of the containers, there were no significant differences observed in the responses of PMNL within the first 48 hours of storage. However, PMNL stored in the polyvinyl chloride (PL-146) containers either with or without HC and DNAase maintained a significant higher viability and slower mean cell volume (MCV) expansion rate after 48 to 96 hours compared with that stored in other containers. The phagocytic response was comparable in surviving PMNL from all containers during the first seven days. Addition of HC and DNAase to the storage medium reduced the rate of PMNL volume expansion in all containers, improved the viability in all but the polypropylene containers, but had no effect on the phagocytic response. Since the results show a strong correlation between the rate of PMNL volume expansion during storage and subsequent loss of PMNL viability and function, the containers made with PL-146 polyvinyl chloride are superior to those made of bioriented-biaxial polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate, or polypropylene.