title: Suppressed neutrophil function in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: Infection is a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy. Neutropenia has been considered to be the most important risk factor for severe infection; however, other factors, such as impaired neutrophil function, may be involved in susceptibility to infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy. In this study, we analyzed neutrophil function in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Whole blood samples were obtained from 16 children with ALL at diagnosis, after induction chemotherapy, and after consolidation chemotherapy. Oxidative burst and phagocytic activity of neutrophils were analyzed by flow cytometry. Oxidative burst of neutrophils was impaired in ALL patients. The percentage of neutrophils with normal oxidative burst after PMA stimulation was 59.0 +/- 13.2 or 70.0 +/- 21.0% at diagnosis or after induction chemotherapy, respectively, which was significantly lower compared with 93.8 +/- 6.1% in healthy control subjects (P = 0.00004, or 0.002, respectively); however, this value was normal after consolidation chemotherapy. No significant differences were noted in phagocytic activity in children with ALL compared with healthy control subjects. Impaired oxidative burst of neutrophils may be one risk factor for infections in children with ALL, especially in the initial periods of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan. hgoto39@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokosuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakatsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagimachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kajiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Naruto
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishimaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yokohama City University Hospital, 3-9 Fukuura Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Shumpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokota
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate