title: Amantadine in chronic granulomatous disease.
abstract: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare genetically determined immunodeficiency. Neutrophils from CGD patients show a defective killing of phagocytosed fungi and bacteria, due not only to an impairment in oxidative burst, but also to absence of normal pH value within phagocytic vacuole following phagocytosis. Because a weak base such as amantadine could potentially reverse these pH abnormalities, the authors used this drug to treat 2 CGD patients. They observed modifications of both phagosomal pH and killing activity on their neutrophils compared to those of healthy controls. Since the drug has been employed, the patients have not developed new infections, suggesting a role of amantadine as a part of CGD prophylactic regimen. These results suggest the opportunity of testing the drug in larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunology, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Granzotto
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lepore
authors.forename: Marlenka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerial
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tommasini
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciambra
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gombac
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000547:Amantadine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D006105:Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010588:Phagosomes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000547:Amantadine