Biomaterial Database

The effects of long chain free fatty acids on human neutrophil function and structure. 1976

H P Hawley, and G B Gordon

Neutrophils from healthy volunteers were isolated and incubated with varying concentrations of albumin-bound long chain free fatty acids. Standard in vitro function tests including phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and chemotaxis were performed after the incubation. It was found that unsaturated fatty acid (oleic acid) caused no changes in bactericidal activity and only moderate decreases in phagocytosis and chemotaxis at very high concentrations. Saturated fatty acid (palmitic acid) produced, at high concentrations, virtually complete inhibition of chemotaxis and moderate depression of phagocytosis and bactericidal ability. Most significantly, lower concentrations of saturated free fatty acids, within the range reported clinically in various diseases, caused a marked inhibition of chemotaxis. These functional disturbances were associated with ultrastructural alterations. Neutrophils treated with oleic acid contained numerous cytoplasmic neutral lipid droplets. Neutrophils incubated with palmitic acid showed elongated cleftlike dilations of the endoplasmic reticulum and degenerative degranulated cytoplasmic areas. It is postulated that these represent crystallization of excess saturated free fatty acids or triglyceride which interfere with chemotaxis, either mechanically or by causing cell injury.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008055	Lipids	A generic term for fats and lipoids, the alcohol-ether-soluble constituents of protoplasm, which are insoluble in water. They comprise the fats, fatty oils, essential oils, waxes, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfolipids, aminolipids, chromolipids (lipochromes), and fatty acids. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)	Lipid
D009504	Neutrophils	Granular leukocytes having a nucleus with three to five lobes connected by slender threads of chromatin, and cytoplasm containing fine inconspicuous granules and stainable by neutral dyes.	LE Cells,Leukocytes, Polymorphonuclear,Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes,Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils,Neutrophil Band Cells,Band Cell, Neutrophil,Cell, LE,LE Cell,Leukocyte, Polymorphonuclear,Neutrophil,Neutrophil Band Cell,Neutrophil, Polymorphonuclear,Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte,Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil
D009829	Oleic Acids	A group of fatty acids that contain 18 carbon atoms and a double bond at the omega 9 carbon.	Octadecenoic Acids,Acids, Octadecenoic,Acids, Oleic
D010169	Palmitic Acids	A group of 16-carbon fatty acids that contain no double bonds.	Acids, Palmitic
D010587	Phagocytosis	The engulfing and degradation of microorganisms; other cells that are dead, dying, or pathogenic; and foreign particles by phagocytic cells (PHAGOCYTES).	Phagocytoses
D001770	Blood Bactericidal Activity	The natural bactericidal property of BLOOD due to normally occurring antibacterial substances such as beta lysin, leukin, etc. This activity needs to be distinguished from the bactericidal activity contained in a patient's serum as a result of antimicrobial therapy, which is measured by a SERUM BACTERICIDAL TEST.	Activities, Blood Bactericidal,Activity, Blood Bactericidal,Bactericidal Activities, Blood,Bactericidal Activity, Blood,Blood Bactericidal Activities
D002470	Cell Survival	The span of viability of a cell characterized by the capacity to perform certain functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, some form of responsiveness, and adaptability.	Cell Viability,Cell Viabilities,Survival, Cell,Viabilities, Cell,Viability, Cell
D002479	Inclusion Bodies	A generic term for any circumscribed mass of foreign (e.g., lead or viruses) or metabolically inactive materials (e.g., ceroid or MALLORY BODIES), within the cytoplasm or nucleus of a cell. Inclusion bodies are in cells infected with certain filtrable viruses, observed especially in nerve, epithelial, or endothelial cells. (Stedman, 25th ed)	Cellular Inclusions,Cytoplasmic Inclusions,Bodies, Inclusion,Body, Inclusion,Cellular Inclusion,Cytoplasmic Inclusion,Inclusion Body,Inclusion, Cellular,Inclusion, Cytoplasmic,Inclusions, Cellular,Inclusions, Cytoplasmic
D002633	Chemotaxis	The movement of cells or organisms toward or away from a substance in response to its concentration gradient.	Haptotaxis
D003594	Cytoplasmic Granules	Condensed areas of cellular material that may be bounded by a membrane.	Cytoplasmic Granule,Granule, Cytoplasmic,Granules, Cytoplasmic