Mechanical stress affects the functional activity of human granulocytes

M. Skorkina, E. Sladkova, T. Shevchenko, O. Cherkashina, E. Gudkova

Abstract: The functional properties of granulocyte membranes change under the influence of mechanical deformation of blood cells passing through capillaries. Using the model of “mechanical stress" in vitro, the interactions between granulocytes and erythrocytes in conditions close to the physiological state have been investigated in this study. The ATP concentration in the blood increased by 56.7% (p < 0.05) in the mechanical deformation of blood cells. The surface membrane potential of granulocytes became negative (decreased by 47%, p <0.05%), stiffness also decreased by 16.8% (p <0.05) and the adhesion forces between erythrocytes and granulocytes increased by 18% (p <0.05). The migration activity of granulocytes improved by 2.9 times under the conditions of stimulating the purinergic signaling system. Under the influence of mechanical stress, the relative membrane reserve of granulocytes was reduced by 1.5 times as compared to controls. Thus, obtained data have an important meaning in the studying of extracellular interaction mechanisms in the microvasculature. These results should be considered in the search and development of pharmacological agents for the regulation of microcirculation of blood cells in capillaries.

Series on Biomechanics, Vol.34, No.1 (2020), 48-54

Keywords: erythrocytes; Granulocytes; mechanical stress; relative membrane reserve of granulocytes

Date published: 2020-04-03