Background: Human polymorphic nuclear granulocytes (PMNs) such as neutrophils and eosinophils play a critical role in mediating inflammatory responses to microbial and parasitic infections. Exposure of these leukocytes to cytokines leads to an amplification of granulocyte effector functions by a mechanism termed "priming." Although many studies have investigated the effects of granulocyte priming, little is known concerning the molecular mechanisms that lead to this phenomenon.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify potential markers for granulocyte priming and thus also to gain further insight into the pathogenesis of inflammatory responses.
Methods: We used a modified differential display technique, random arbitrary primed-PCR to identify genes regulated during the priming of human polymorphic nuclear granulocytes by GM-CSF in vitro. Genes identified were validated by Northern blot analysis of in vitro and in vivo primed leukocytes.
Results: Several genes were identified and their expression characterized in vitro. One of these genes, 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein, was also found to be up-regulated in leukocytes isolated after allergen challenge of allergic asthmatic patients.
Conclusion: The use of differential display technology is a rapid and effective means of identifying genes whose expression is regulated by priming in vitro and in vivo. Further analysis will lead to a better understanding of the priming phenotype and may provide further insight into the pathologic mechanisms of inflammatory processes.