Measurement of chemiluminescence in freshly drawn human blood. I. Role of granulocytes, platelets, and plasma factors in zymosan-induced chemiluminescence.

The present investigations were undertaken to find out whether chemiluminescence measurements of stimulated granulocytes can be carried out in freshly drawn blood and -- because of the ease of the method -- be introduced into routine diagnostics. Blood was drawn from the cubital vein of healthy volunteers at various times and under various conditions. Subsequently the zymosan induced and luminol amplified chemiluminescence was recorded and analyzed. It could be demonstrated that variations existed between individuals which can, however, be minimized when photon counts obtained under standard conditions were related to the number of granulocytes present in the blood samples. It could be further demonstrated that also platelets are activated by zymosan as well an that they, contribute to the total chemiluminescence by a share of about 5%. Platelet chemiluminescence can effectively be suppressed by aspirin. Opsonising factors in plasma (presumably antibodies and/or complement) play a decisive role in the intensity and kinetics of blood chemiluminescence. Measurements of zymosan induced chemiluminescence in freshly drawn unfractionated and fractionated blood seem to be especially suited to monitor and analyze deviations and defects of the cellular and humoral defence mechanisms.