Studies on Gallium Accumulation in Inflammatory Lesions: III. Roles of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes and Bacterial

The role of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and bacteria in the accumulation of gallium-67 in inflammatory lesions was studied using an animal model. A plastic practice golf ball was implanted in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdominal wall of rabbits, and sterile or bacterial inflammation was induced inside the ball. Gallium accumulated in the inflammatory exudates induced by either sterile casein or Staphylococcus aureus. Two rabbits were made agranulocytic by prior treatment with myleran before the injection of S. aureus and gallium. These also accumulated gallium, although in one agranulocytic rabbit there were no PMN in the inflammatory exudate. Analysis of the inflammatory exudates showed that most of the gallium was in the noncellular fraction (2,500-g supernatant) in both sterile and bacteria-induced inflammation. The results indicate that gallium accumulates in the inflammatory lesions, even in the absence of either PMN or bacteria.