Stimulus-specific defect in oxidative metabolism of polymorphonuclear granulocytes in polycythemia vera.

We investigated polymorphonuclear granulocyte (PMN) function in polycythemia vera (PV) in relation to healthy controls. PMN oxidative metabolism, assessed by chemiluminescence (CL), was significantly lower in PV patients after stimulation with leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and f-Met-Leu Phe (fMLP) (60% of control), whereas no difference in CL was seen after stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) (120% of controls). Spontaneous and fMLP-induced PMN adherence to an albumin-coated plastic surface, as well as spontaneous migration and LTB4 - and fMLP-induced chemotaxis, were similar to controls. This suggests the presence of a stimulus-specific defect in PMN oxidative metabolism in PV.