Neutrophils play a crucial role in the body's defense against respiratory pathogens, and dysregulation is linked to airway diseases. The study presented here explores the association between demographic factors (age, BMI, and sex) and functional phenotypes (oxidative burst and bioenergetics) of neutrophils. We measured PMA-stimulated oxidative burst (Seahorse XF) and phagocytosis (pHrodo red S. aureus) of human peripheral blood neutrophils and determined whether there were significant demographic associations with cellular function. There were no significant associations between neutrophil oxidative burst bioenergetic parameters or phagocytosis and BMI or age. However, our data revealed sexual dimorphism in neutrophil phagocytosis, with males exhibiting significantly higher phagocytic capacity than females. Additionally, phagocytic capacity and bioenergetic parameters were correlated in males but not in females. The study indicates potential variations in neutrophil activation pathways between males and female and emphasizes the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in respiratory host defense research.
Keywords: Neutrophil; bioenergetics; phagocytosis; sex differences.