Monocyte Chemotaxis in Primary Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Abstract

AbstractWe studied monocyte chemotaxis in children with various types of primary immunodeficiency syndrome. The clinical and immunologic features of the patients with defective monocyte chemotaxis were then analyzed. Monocyte chemotaxis was defective in two patients with a monocyte disorder characterized by chronic candidiasis, absence of delayed‐type hypersensitivity, and normal T cell functions. Monocyte chemotaxis was also impaired in a patient with Chédiak‐Higashi syndrome, and in two of six patients with hyper‐IgE syndrome. Major infections in the patients with defective neutrophil chemotaxis but normal monocyte chemotaxis included recurrent pyogenic infections such as otitis media, superficial abscess, lymphadenitis and pneumonia. On the other hand, the clinical features of the patients with defective monocyte chemotaxis were characterized by chronic candidiasis. Delayed‐type hypersensitivity was negative in all of the patients in whom monocyte chemotaxis was defective, despite the absence of apparent T cell dysfunctions. These results demonstrated that there is defective monocyte chemotaxis in some types of primary immunodeficiency syndrome. The monocyte chemotaxis defect is probably responsible for candidiasis and related to the absence of delayed‐type hypersensitivity.