Fig. 3. IDS of activated from non-activated human PMNs.

PMNs were isolated from 100 μl freshly obtained peripheral blood using magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS). a, The experimental workflow for PMN activation by PMA before IDS and the determination of the cell’s IDP as an electrical signature. b, A schematic of IDS and IDP determination. c, After exposure to PMA (20 nM, 30 min, 25 °C RT) or vehicle, the IDPs of PMNs from healthy donors or sepsis patients were distributed at 7 MHz electrical voltage. The shift in median IDP values was determined for PMA-activated cells (red) relative to vehicle (blue). The dashed lines represent the median values of each IDP distribution. Representative IDP distributions are shown for PMNs from representative healthy subjects (top two distributions) and sepsis patients (bottom two distributions). d,e, Box and whisker plots (median, 25th and 75th percentiles) of the median IDP in vehicle- or PMA-exposed PMNs (d) and Δ_med IDP (e) from healthy subjects (n = 10) or patients presenting with sepsis (n = 13). f, The relationship between the SOFA score and Δ_med (μm) was determined in sepsis patients at presentation (day 0). The Pearson correlation r value is noted and a regression line is shown. **P < 0.05 in healthy versus sepsis patients by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t test; ***P < 0.05 in vehicle verus PMA by paired two-tailed Student’s t test.