[The phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the presence of immune complexes and the phagocytes by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, with and without disease activity.


METHODS
The peripheral blood of 55 subjects was analyzed. Ten of those subjects had disease activity, 15 had not disease activity, and 30 were healthy. We used radial immune diffusion to detect immune complexes. The phagocytic function was estimated by the ingestion of zymosan by polymorphonuclear neutrophils.


RESULTS
In this study we found the presence of immune complexes formatted of IgM, IgG, IgA, and complement component C3 and C4 in LES patients. The arithmetic average of zymosan particles ingested by the neutrophils incubated with homologous human serum and autologous human serum was significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the LES activity patients when we compare with the group without activity, and the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that there are immune complexes in the LES patients with and without disease activity, and there is a reduction in the digestive step of the phagocytes by polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with disease activity. The conclusions of the present study are according with the pathogenesis of the disease and with the high mortality in these patients.
Departamento de Cl nica M dica, Hospital Central, Santa Casa de Miseric rdia de S o Paulo.
Wilma Carvalho Neves
WC
Forte
Rafael M
RM
Almeida
Gilberto da Silva Cairo
Gda S
Bizuti
Daniel Neves
DN
Forte
Simone
S
Bruno
Francisco S
FS
Russo Filho
Carlos Alberto Conceição
CA
Lima
D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D015054:Zymosan / Q000032:analysis
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D015054:Zymosan