Amantadine in chronic granulomatous disease.
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.
Granzotto
Marilena
M
Laboratory of Immunology, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.
Leone
Valentina
V
Lepore
Loredana
L
Zerial
Marlenka
M
Tommasini
Alberto
A
Ciambra
Roberta
R
Gombac
Francesca
F
Ventura
Alessandro
A
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
D000547:Amantadine