Parallel determination of glucocorticoid receptors in human mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes after Percoll separation.

Circulating human leukocytes are known to possess glucocorticoid receptors, but the data in the literature on the affinity and capacity widely range. We here report our results on the determination of affinity and capacity of glucocorticoid receptors in both mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes using a Percoll gradient for separating cells. The mean affinity of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells was respectively 4.3 +/- 0.7 and 4.3 +/- 15 nM (mean +/- S.D., n = 6), and the capacity 4135 +/- 1950 and 1810 +/- 832 sites per cell. Previous reports using a Ficoll separation showed a lower affinity under the same conditions of incubation. From these findings we suggest that the separation with Percoll may give values closer to physiological than other separation techniques.