Phosphated chitin (P-chitin) exerts protective effects by restoring the deformability of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) cells

In continuation of our on-going investigation on P-chitin, we screened 11 more formulations, out of which only two of them were found effective in vivo. It was not known at that moment, why all the formulations were not effective in vivo. Based on the results of the in vivo screening experiment, in vitro tests were carried out to determine the influence of two effective and non-effective samples on migrating ability of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) cells. PMN cells were made to loose migrating ability to mimic the in vivo condition of PMN sequestration as it occurs during the acute lung injury, by pre-incubating with chitosan activated serum (CAS). To our surprise, such CAS treated PMN cells with reduced ability to migrate, when subjected to P-chitin treatment were found to have restored the migrating ability. Interestingly, only those samples which were effective in vivo enhanced the deformability or the migrating ability of PMN cells, whereas non-effective samples hindered it. How effective P-chitin restores PMN cells deformability is under investigation.