Function of Neutrophils in Different Phases of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

In chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), the mature granulocytes originate from a stem cell line harboring an abnormal chromosome, therefore it is possible that metabolic-functional abnormalities occur in the morphologically mature cells. In the present study, the phagocytic activity including intracellular killing, nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction, and phagocytosis were studied in 37 CML patients in different stages of the disease. The results were compared with those of 37 normal controls. Patients’ neutrophils display significantly lower intracellular killing (P<0.01), NBT reduction (P<0.01) and phagocytosis (P<0.001) than that of normal controls. Analysis of the results revealed an inverse correlation between phagocytic activity and leukocyte count or percentage of immature cells (r = -0.3, P<0.01). In conclusion, the results indicate that neutrophils of CML patients have impaired phagocytic activity. This defect is more prominent in patients in blastic phase, whereas patients in remission show normal values.