[Progress of leukocyte research].
Over 170 years ago Metchnikoff described the bacteriocidal activity of leukocytes. It has been clarified that leukocytes play an important role in first defense mechanism against infection due to microorganism. Leukocytes immigrate to the lesion, which various microorganisms invade across mucosal barrier, and phagocyte and kill ingested microorganisms. The inability of the chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) granulocytes to generate superoxide has prompted the analysis of NADPH oxidase responsible for superoxide generation. The study on CGD has provided profound informations into NADPH oxidase system of leukocytes. Recruitment leukocytes to inflammatory lesion is essential for the inflammatory process, and it is regulated by various chemotactic factors and the adhesion molecules interaction between leukocytes and endothelium of vessels. Identification of interleukin-8 (IL-8) to be one of chemotactic cytokines and its gene cloning offered the progressive understanding for the immigration mechanism of leukocytes from vessels to inflammatory lesion. On the other hand, LFA-1 deficiency revealed that emigration, adhesion and phagocytosis of leukocytes are associated closely with the adhesion molecules on their surfaces. More recently, the cytokine networks of myelopoiesis or inflammatory process have been clarified. Among various cytokines, the cloning of G-CSF has provided the clinical application of rhG-CSF for neutropenic patients who may be induced by the treatment with anticancer agents. This symposium focused on above-mentioned items for an important aspect of neutrophil research.
Miyazaki
T
T
3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo.
Kobayashi
K
K
D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D012106:Research