Metabolic inhibitors induce the down-regulation of L-selectin expression.

Neutrophils were incubated in medium alone or in the presence of the metabolic inhibitors: azide 10 nmol/L and 2-DG 50 nmol/L. After 30 minutes at 37°C, the surface expression of L-selectin was assessed by flow cytometry as described in “Materials and methods.” A representative histogram is shown. Unshaded histogram represents basal expression of L-selectin in neutrophils incubated in medium alone; shaded histogram represents the L-selectin expression in the presence of metabolic inhibitors; and dotted histogram represents the negative control (P3X63 myeloma). Histograms shown in the inset represent the spontaneous uptake of propidium iodide by neutrophils incubated in the absence (Basal) and presence of metabolic inhibitors (Azide+2-DG). Numbers correspond to the percentage of positive cells (dead cells).