Neutrophil migration induced by inflammatory stimuli is reduced by macrophage depletion

Abstract
Previous experiments of our group have shown that neutrophil migration induced by inflammatory stimuli is reduced by agents which block the release from macrophages of a specific factor for neutrophil migration (MNCF, [1, 2]). The present paper evaluated the influence of macrophage depletion induced by lavage of the peritoneal cavity on neutrophil migration. In both normal and thioglycollatestimuled peritoneal cavities, lavage with saline reduced the resident macrophage population by about 80% and significantly blocked neutrophil migration induced by inflammatory stimuli such as carrageenin, zymosan andE. coli endotoxin. Peritoneal lavage, however, did not affect neutrophil migration induced by MNCF. Thus, these results support the suggestion that macrophages participate in the control of neutrophil migration induced by acute inflammatory stimuli.