Failure of neutrophil chemotactic function in septic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the in vitro chemotactic function of neutrophils obtained from patients with sepsis.


METHODS
Prospective study in which purified neutrophils obtained from septic patients and nonseptic control volunteers were assayed for chemotactic function induced by N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) and leukotriene B4. The sera nitrate concentrations also were quantified.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Twenty patients with sepsis caused by different infectious foci.


METHODS
Routine blood tests, blood or other site cultures, blood collection for neutrophil purification sera collection for nitrate assay.


RESULTS
Neutrophils from septic patients exhibited significantly less chemotactic activity than neutrophils obtained from healthy volunteers, in response to FMLP (93.4 +/- 6.6 vs. 51 +/- 8.3 migrated neutrophils) and leukotriene B4 (90.2 +/- 10 vs. 42.4 +/- 11.6 migrated neutrophils) stimuli, in a microchemotaxis chamber assay. The impaired chemotaxis occurred mainly in neutrophils from nonsurvivor patients. The extent of neutrophil chemotaxis inhibition (survivor/nonsurvivor) was 33.43%/61.67% and 43.4%/86.98%, in response to FMLP and leukotriene B4, respectively. Increased serum nitrate (micromoles of NO2 + NO3) concentrations were detected in septic patients, compared with controls, but no differences were found between survivor (91.84 +/- 14.12) and nonsurvivor (102.6 +/- 17.36) groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Septic patients present suppressed neutrophil chemotactic responses to FMLP and leukotriene B4 stimuli compared with healthy controls. This is accompanied by increased serum concentrations of nitrate. The impairment of neutrophil chemotaxis was observed mainly in the cells obtained from nonsurvivor patients and may thus be an additional factor contributing to disease outcome.
Tavares-Murta
Beatriz M
BM
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba-MG, Brazil. beatrizmurta@mednet.com.br
Zaparoli
Mateus
M
Ferreira
Rogério B
RB
Silva-Vergara
Mário León
ML
Oliveira
Cristina H B
CH
Murta
Eddie Fernando C
EF
Ferreira
Sérgio H
SH
Cunha
Fernando Q
FQ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*
D009566:Nitrates; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine