Abnormal polymorphonuclear leukocyte motility in dermatologic diseases.

A variety of skin diseases have been reported to have associated abnormalities in PMN chemotactic motility; however, the relationship of abnormal leukocyte motility to the pathogenesis of these diseases is poorly understood. A common feature in skin diseases associated with depressed chemotaxis has been the frequency of recurrent pyogenic infections. Since the chemotaxins and methodologies for evaluating leukocyte chemotaxis differ among laboratories, little is known about the specificity of these chemotactic defects. Further information regarding PMN motility defects may be obtained from detailed studies of migration to various doses of chemotaxins. The commercial availability of potent, structurally defined chemotaxins, such a N-formylated peptides, provides laboratories the opportunity to evaluate migration to "common" chemotaxins. In addition, the development of the multiple microwell chemotaxis chamber has made possible the opportunity to collect substantial leukocyte motility data from relatively small blood samples. Further investigations of leukocyte motility in various dermatologic diseases are clearly needed. A more systematic approach, i.e. (1) use of several different chemotaxins at various doses in chemotaxis assays and (2) use of standard, structurally defined chemotaxins, would facilitate comparative analyses of clinical studies among laboratories. It is likely that this approach would provide more specific information about the relevance of leukocyte motility defects in these diseases.