Neutrophil chemotaxis in systemic lupus erythematosus

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotaxis was evaluated in vitro in 23 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Serum generation of chemotactic factors was clearly depressed in 10 subjects and reduced to a lesser degree in 3 others. This defect correlated with several clinical parameters, including young age at onset of disease, high DNA binding activity, low immunoglobulin levels, and a high incidence of infection. In contrast to the serum defect, cellular responses to chemotactic factors appeared to be normal. It is suggested that depressed generation of serum chemotactic factors may contribute to the increased susceptibility to infection observed in systemic lupus erythematosus.