Phagocytosis in leprosy. 2. Production of superoxide by circulating blood leukocytes from lepromatous patients.

The ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from lepromatous patients to produce superoxide (O-2) anion while phagocytizing latex particles was studied. The results were compared with those obtained in a group composed of normal individuals. No differences were found between lepromatous and normal groups. No differences were found either when the comparison was made between patients showing any form of leprosy reaction and patients without leprosy complications at the time of the study. Together with other results previously reported, our findings suggest that PMN from lepromatous patients are not different from PMN from healthy individuals with respect to their ability to generate and show the metabolic oxidative changes (as measured by the NBT- and the O-2-tests) induced by in vitro phagocytosis of latex particles. These metabolic activities remain normal even when PMN may show alterations at other levels of the phagocytic process.