Abstract
This study examines a concurrent profiling of circulating and extravasated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in a rat model of experimental sepsis. Fecal peritonitis was induced in Wistar male rats by intraperitoneal instillation of a fecal suspension in saline (1:1 w/v). Blood and peritoneal fluid were collected 8 h following fecal inoculation for the evaluation of inflammatory response of PMNs using zymosan-induced luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. Fifty microliters of pre-diluted blood or peritoneal fluid samples were mixed with 150 μl of reaction mixture (4×10−4 M luminol+50 μg opsonized zymosan+0.1% gelatin in Hank's balanced salt solution) and the chemiluminescence signal was measured in a luminometer at 37˚C. Fecal peritonitis caused a significant leukocytopenia (3540±297 mm−3 versus control value of 7525±711 mm−3,