Functional abnormalities of human neutrophils collected by continuous flow filtration leukopheresis

Continuous flow filtration leukopheresis (FL) is a relatively simple, inexpensive, and efficient technique of harvesting blood neutrophils from normal donors for transfusion into neutropenic recipients. There has been concern, however, that neutrophils may be functionally altered druing this leukopheresis procedure. Human neutrophils obtained by various FL techniques were studied for in vitro chemotaxis by a 51Cr- radiolabel method and for in vitro killing and phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus. We compared their function with neutrophils obtained by the NCI-IBM cell separator and by dextran sedimentation from whole blood. FL neutrophils eluted from nylon filters after 3-hr collection periods were functionally abnormal by all parameters tested, while neutrophils obtained by cell separator after similar collection times were not significantly different from control cells. However, neutrophils from 3-hr FL collections were found to include both normal and abnormal populations of cells. Loosely adherent cells, eluted after tapping the filters, were functionally normal; more adherent cells, eluted after tapping the filters and representing the bulk of cells collected, were progressively more abnormal the less readily they were eluted. Shortened FL collection times (1–2 hr) were found to decrease the functional defects. Also, administration of dexamethasone to donors prior to filtration leukopheresis diminished the functional defects of FL neutrophils perhaps by altering adherence characteristics of the cells. These studies show that neutrophils obtained by filtration leukopheresis are functionally abnormal in relation to the time and extent of adherence to nylon filters.