Chemotactic function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from patients with recurrent infections: partial correction by levamisole "in vitro".

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are dominant cells in the defense of the organism, and their functional alterations result in increased risks of infection. Chemotaxis is an early function in the immune response, allowing for the polymorphonuclear cells to migrate towards inflammatory sites. We studied the chemotactic function of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes from 14 patients with the common clinical syndrome of recurrent infections, through a technique of cell migration under agarose. It was found to be depressed in 5 patients, in the lower limit of normal in 2 cases, normal in 6 cases and enhanced in 1 patient. The "in vitro" incubation of polymorphonuclear cells with 5 mM levamisole resulted in a partial correction of their chemotactic function. Our results indicate that the chemotactic function of neutrophils should be evaluated in patients with recurrent infections, for the better understanding of the underlying dysfunctions in these diseases.