Thromb Haemost 1984; 52(02): 134-137
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1661157
Original Article
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

The Inhibitory Effect of Heparin and Related Glycosaminoglycans on Neutrophil Chemotaxis

Yaacov Matzner
The Department of Hematology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Gerard Marx
The Department of Hematology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Ruth Drexler
The Department of Hematology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
,
Amiram Eldor
The Department of Hematology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 19 December 1983

Accepted 02 June 1984

Publication Date:
19 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

Clinical observations have shown that heparin has antiinflammatory activities. The effect of heparin on neutrophil chemotaxis was evaluated in vitro in the Boyden Chamber. This method enabled differentiation between the direct effects of heparin on neutrophil migration and locomotion, and its effects on chemotactic factors. Heparin inhibited both the random migration and directed locomotion of human neutrophils toward zymosan-activated serum (ZAS) and F-met-leu-phe (FMLP). Inhibition was found to be dependent on the concentrations of the heparin and of the chemotactic factors. No specific binding of heparin to the neutrophils could be demonstrated, and heparin’s inhibitory effects were eliminated by simple washing of the cells. When added directly to the chamber containing chemotactic factor, heparin inhibited the chemotactic activity of ZAS but not that of FMLP, suggesting a direct inhibitory effect against C5a, the principal chemotactic factor in ZAS.

Experiments performed with low-molecular-weight heparin, N-desulfated heparin, dextran sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and dextran indicated that the inhibitory effects of heparin on neutrophil chemotaxis are not related to its anticoagulant activity, but probably depend on the degree of sulfation of the heparin molecule.