Detecting Migration and Infiltration of Neutrophils in Mice

Summary

Here, we present three methods to assess neutrophil migration and infiltration both in vivo and in vitro. These methods can be used to discover promising therapeutics targeting neutrophil migration.

Abstract

Neutrophils are a major member of the innate immune system and play pivotal roles in host defense against pathogens and pathologic inflammatory reactions. Neutrophils can be recruited to inflammation sites via the guidance of cytokines and chemokines. Overwhelming infiltration of neutrophils can lead to indiscriminate tissue damage, such as in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Neutrophils isolated from peritoneal exudate respond to a defined chemoattractant, N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), in vitro in Transwell or Zigmond chamber assays. The air pouch experiment can be used to evaluate the chemotaxis of neutrophils towards lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo. The adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) mouse model is frequently used in RA research, and immunohistochemical staining of joint sections with anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) or anti-neutrophil elastase (NE) antibodies is a well-established method to measure neutrophil infiltration. These methods can be used to discover promising therapies targeting neutrophil migration.

Introduction

Neutrophils are the most abundant white blood cell and account for 50−70% of the whole white blood cell population in humans¹. Neutrophils are one of the primary responders during acute inflammation. Neutrophils can be recruited to inflammation sites via the guidance of cytokines and chemokines released by tissue-resident cells^2,3,4, which is mediated by the interactions between cell adhesion molecules on the surface of neutrophils and vascular endothelium cells⁵. Neutrophils are fundamental to host defense and play a role....

Protocol

All experimental procedures were reviewed and approved by the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Animal Care and Use Committee.

NOTE: C57BL/6 mice (7-8 weeks old) were used.

1. Neutrophil isolation

1. Acquisition of peritoneal exudate cells
   1. Prepare fresh 10% proteose peptone solution in ddH₂O. Calculate the volume needed according to the number of mice.
      NOTE: Set the number of mice as N, (2N+1) mL of solution must be dissolved and filtered in advance.
   2. Spray the workspace with 70% ethanol. Use an insulin injector to draw 1 mL of peptone solution and discharge ....

Results

Peritoneal exudate cells were collected from lavage fluid of mice. Cells were resuspended in 1 mL of RPMI-1640 complete medium, layered onto a two-step (54.8%/70.2%) discontinuous density gradient (Figure 1A), and centrifuged at 1,500 x g for 30 min. Neutrophils (≥95%, ~1 x 10⁷ neutrophils/mouse) were recovered from the lower interface (Figure 1B).

Discussion

Detailed protocols of highly-purified neutrophils from peripheral blood⁷, bone marrow and tissues¹⁸ have been available for a long time. Here we adopt a method of isolating neutrophils from peritoneal fluid¹⁹ in which mature neutrophils remain inactivated for further anti-inflammatory and antioxidant studies.

We used the air pouch experiment to explore the LPS-induced infiltration of neutrophils in vivo. This method has be.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.1% Fast Green Solution	Solarbio	8348b	Transfer 20 mg of fast grene FCF in one vial into another 100 mL beaker. Add 20 mL of H2O into the beaker and dissolve the stain by stirring to make 0.1% fast green solution, and filter it using a Nalgene PES 75mm filter
0.1% Safranin O Staining Solution	Solarbio	8348a	Transfer 20 mg of safranin O stain in one vial into a 100 ml beaker. Add 20 mL of H2O into the beaker and dissolve the stain by stirring to make 0.1% safranin O staining solution, and filter it using a Nalgene PES 75mm filter
0.5 M Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution (EDTA), pH 8.0	Sigma	324506	Sterile
100% Ethanol	Beijing Chemical Works
100% Methanol	Beijing Chemical Works
15 mL Conical Polypropylene Centrifuge Tube	Falcon	14-959-53A
23 G x 1 1/4" Needle	BD	305120
26 G x 3/8" Needle	BD	305110
3% bovine serum albumin (BSA)			Dissolve 0.3 g BSA in 10 mL PBS
3% H2O2			Mix 1 mL 30% H2O2 with methanol with 9 mL methanol
3,3'-diaminobenzidine (DAB) kit	ZSGB-BIO	ZLI-9018
30 G x 1/2" Needle	BD	305106
30% H2O2	Beijing Chemical Works
5 mL Syringe	BD	Z683574
50 mL Conical Polypropylene Centrifuge Tube	Falcon	14-432-22
50% Ethanol			Mix 500 mL 100% ethanol with 500 mL dH2O
54.8% Percoll			Mix 2.74 mL SIP with 2.26 mL 1×PBS, stand still
70% Ethanol			Mix 700 mL 100% ethanol with 300 mL dH2O
70.2% Percoll			Mix 3.51 mL SIP with 1.49 mL 1×PBS, stand still
80% Ethanol			Mix 800 mL 100% ethanol with 200 mL dH2O
95% Ethanol			Mix 950 mL 100% ethanol with 50 mL dH2O
Acid Alcohol Superfast Differentiation Solution	Beyotime	C0165S
ANTIBODIES
Anti-Myeloperoxidase Antibody	Abcam	ab208670
Anti-Neutrophil Elastase Antibody	Abcam	ab21595
Automatic Hematology Analyzer	Sysmex	XS-800i
Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA)	VWR	0332-100G
Complete Freund's Adjuvant, 10 mg/ml	sigma	1002036152
Cover Slip	CITOGLAS	10212432C
Dial Thickness Gauge	Mitutoyo	7301
Eppendorf Microtubes, 1.5 mL	Sigma	Z606340
Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) Premium	PAN	P30-1302
Gas Anesthesia System	ZS Dichuang	ZS-MV-IV
Goat Anti-Rabbit IgG H&L (HRP)	PPLYGEN	C1309	This is the secondary antibody used in the immunohistochemical staining.
Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS)	Biological Industries, Beth HaEmek, Israel	02-016-1A	Sterile
Hematoxylin Staining Solution	ZSGB-BIO	ZLI-9609
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)	Sigma	L3012
MEDIA AND SUPPLEMENTS
Modified Safranin O-fast Green FCF Cartilage Stain Kit	Solarbio	G1371
N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP)	Sigma	47729
Penicillin Streptomycin Solution, 100×	Invitrogen	1514022
Percoll	GE Healthcare	10245207	Density gradient medium
Permeabilization Buffer			Mix 100 μL Triton X-100 with 1 L dH2O to get 0.01% Triton X-100
Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS), 1×			Mix 90% ddH2O with 10% (v/v) 10×PBS, autoclaved
Phosphate Buffer Saline (PBS), 10×			Dissolve 16 g NaCl, 0.4 g KCl, 2.88 g Na2HPO4·2H2O, 0.48 g KH2PO4 (anhydrous) in 200 mL ddH2O, adjust pH 7.4, autoclaved
PLASTIC WARES AND EQUIPMENTS
POWDER
Proteose Peptone	Oxoid	1865317
Retrieval Buffer			Mix 18 mL retrieval buffer A with 82 mL retrieval buffer B, add dH2O to 1000 mL, adjust pH to 6.0
Retrieval Buffer A Stock for IHC			Dissolve 4.2 g citric acid (C6H5O7·H2O) in 200 mL dH2O
Retrieval Buffer B Stock for IHC			Dissolve 5.88 g trisodium citrate dihydrate (C6H5Na3O7·2H20) in 200 mL dH2O
Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI)-1640 medium	Sigma	R8758
RPMI-1640 Complete Medium			RPMI-1640 medium is supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin/streptomycin.
Shu Rui U40 Disposable Sterile Insulin Injection Needle 1 mL	BD	328421
Slide	CITOGLAS	10127105P-G
SOLUTION
Stock Isotonic Percoll (SIP)			Mix 90% (v/v) of percoll with 10% (v/v) 10×PBS, stand still for 20 min
Wash Buffer in Air Pouch Assay			Dilute 0.5M EDTA to 10mM with HBSS
Xylene	Beijing Chemical Works