Evaluating Migration of Human Monocytes in an Inflammatory Environment Mimicking Burn-Induced Inflammation in Blood Donor Samples

Abstract

In the U.S., more than half a million people are hospitalized for burn wounds every year. These wounds can progress into serious and even fatal injuries due to the immune system’s defense against harmful pathogens with access to bodily tissues through the burn injury. This invasion into bodily tissue can lead to systemic inflammation. One of the by-products of this inflammation is the activation and migration of white blood cells, specifically monocytes, to the site of injury and/or infection to eliminate the microbes and protect the surrounding tissues. While relatively small, inactive monocytes can drastically increase their size in the case of activation via pathogenic infection. Although the general mechanisms are understood, there are significant components of monocyte activity that have not been clearly elucidated. However, it has been shown that these monocytes boast significant prognostic capabilities. The severity and potential outcome of patient injuries can be predicted with considerable accuracy using Monocyte Distribution Width (MDW), or monocyte anisocytosis, which is the difference in monocyte sizes within an individual. In this research, we investigate the activity and size distribution of monocytes under various conditions. It was found that, as expected, the trigger protein (SDF-1α) induced monocyte migration dependent on the concentration used. However, the inhibitor (AMD-3100) markedly reduced migration when used in conjunction with SDF-1α. Also, the activators lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Pam3CysSerLys4 (PAM) were shown to increase MDW.