NEUTROPHIL FUNCTIONS, SPONDYLARTHROPATHIES AND HLA-B27 - A STUDY OF 43 PATIENTS

Objectives. Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the role o f HLA-B27 antigen in the pathogenesis of the spondylarthropathies. Met hods. We studied some neutrophil functions in vivo in patients affecte d by ankylosing spondylitis or by reactive arthritis with or without H LA-B27, and in healthy control subjects. In vivo neutrophil migration was investigated by Senn's skin window technique. An adhesion assay wa s also conducted and superoxide production was measured in circulating and migrating neutrophils after different stimuli. Results. Neutrophi l migration in vivo was higher in the HLA-B27 positive patients than i n the controls, while no difference was found between the HLA-B27 nega tive patients and controls. Our data showed an increased response to f ormyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine by circulating neutrophils in the patients with ankylosing spondylitis, both HLA-B27 positive and negat ive, in comparison wish all the other subjects. Conclusions. Our resul ts revive the question of the role of HLA-B27 in the regulation of neu trophil migration; the reported in vivo priming of circulating neutrop hils seems to be related to ankylosing spondylitis rather than to HLA- B27.