The effect of local anaesthetics on apoptosis and NETosis of human neutrophils in vitro: comparison between lidocaine and ropivacaine

There are immunological consequences to the method by which neutrophils undergo cell death. Neutrophil apoptosis, called silent death, leads to the resolution of inflammation, while NETosis deepens and prolongs the inflammatory response and is associated with a worse prognosis of severe infections, e.g., sepsis. Besides nociceptive inhibition, local anaesthetics modulate leukocyte functions, even at low, clinically relevant concentrations. There is currently no data on ropivacaine NETosis, and this study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinical concentrations of ropivacaine (0.0007, 0.007 and 1.4 mmol/L) and lidocaine (0.002, 0.02 and 4 mmol/L) on apoptosis and NETosis of adult peripheral blood neutrophils after 2 h of incubation. Neutrophil identification, apoptosis and NETosis were evaluated by flow cytometry using forward and side scatter characteristics and fluorescent labelling: CD15 for neutrophils identification; Annexin V and propidium iodide for apoptosis and citrullinated histone H3 and myeloperoxidase for NETosis. Lidocaine (4 mmol/L) and ropivacaine (1.4 mmol/L) induced early apoptosis in resting but not in stimulated neutrophils. Low doses of ropivacaine (0.0007 and 0.007 mmol/L) decreased the number of late apoptotic neutrophils, and the lowest dose slightly increased their viability. None of the drugs induced NETosis in resting neutrophils but decreased NETosis at clinical concentrations compared to PMA-stimulated 4 mM lidocaine, PMA-stimulated control, and 1.4 mM ropivacaine. The effect of lidocaine and ropivacaine on apoptosis and NETosis depended on neutrophil stimulation and drug concentrations. Ropivacaine tends to be cytoprotective at concentrations observed in plasma under local anaesthesia. Lidocaine enhanced NETosis at high concentration only in stimulated neutrophils. Thus, both drugs have the ability to change the course of inflammation. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13577-023-00963-x.