Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration increases PMN CD32 (FcRII) expression and FcR-related functions.

The phenotypical and functional properties of circulating neutrophils from ten patients suffering from intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma were investigated before and after rhG-CSF administration (5 micrograms/kg/day subcutaneously for 5 days). The following parameters were studied: flow cytometry evaluation of surface CD32, CD16, CD11b and CD18 by means of a whole blood method; whole blood phagocytosis by means of a flow cytometric assay; whole blood chemiluminescence using opsonized zymosan as a stimulus. A significant increase in the expression of surface CD32 was detected in all patients, while CD11b expression was found to be increased in only four of them. CD16 and CD18 expression did not change. A significant enhancement of phagocytosis and phagocytosis-associated chemiluminescence was also observed. These results show that rhG-CSF administration can increase both FcRII expression and FcR-related functions.