[In vitro effect of amphotericin B on polymorphonuclear chemotaxis and large granular lymphocytes with natural killer activity].

Amphotericin B (AB) is known as an inhibitor of PMN chemotaxis. The chemotaxis of "large granular lymphocytes" (LGL) which are hypothesized to be involved in the antifungal defenses has been only recently investigated. Therefore we have studied the effect of AB on the LGL chemotaxis. LGL are prepared by centrifugation of peripheral blood non adherent cells on a discontinuous gradient of Percoll. They are more susceptible than PMN to the toxicity and chemotactic inhibition induced by colloidal suspension of AB Fungizone i.v. whereas the microparticular suspension has no effect. Deoxycholate (DOC) used for the AB solubilization is responsible at high doses of Fungizone i.v. (1 and 10(-1) mg/ml) of the toxic effect observed. The particular size seems to be also important. Morever at the therapeutic concentrations (2 to 4 X 10(-3) mg/ml) only the chemotaxis of PMN and LGL induced by FMLP is reduced whereas there is a stimulation of the PMN response to zymosan. The differences in the susceptibility of LGL and PMN to AB may explain the immunomodulation induced by this drug.