The role of integrins in granulocyte dysfunction in myelodysplastic syndrome.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the function of granulocytes in 20 patients affected by myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and correlate this with the expression of surface membrane integrins. The granulocytes showed a deficit in chemotaxis (34 +/- 12 vs 84 +/- 10, p < 0.01) in superoxide release (12 +/- 7 vs 30 +/- 10, p < 0.01) and in aggregation 12 +/- 6 vs 36 +/- 9, p < 0.01 using fMLP as stimulus. We also demonstrated with cytofluorimetric and alkaline phosphatase immunoenzymatic analysis (APAAP), decreased expression of CD11b/CD18 receptor detected by OKM1 (p < 0.001) and CD18 detected by MoAb IOT-18 (p < 0.001). PMNs CD11b/CD18 up-regulation and APAAP image analysis studies showed a lower level of expression of CD11b/CD18 in granulocytes from MDS patients compared to controls (p < 0.001). We concluded that granulocyte dysfunction in MDS may be correlated with modification of leukocyte integrins.