INTACT AUTOCRINE ACTIVATION AND CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY PMNS FROM INJURED ADULTS WITH ELEVATED CANDIDA ANTIGEN TITERS

Injured patients with Candida antigen titres have increased mortality due to sepsis. Polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) from injured patien ts with elevated Candida antigen titres demonstrate impaired function against Candida albicans growth when compared with PMNs from injury ma tched controls. To determine if PMN dysfunction is global, PMNs from p atients with positive Candida antigen titres were evaluated for their ability to activate the anticandidal function of normal PMNs (autocrin e activation) and to produce tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleu kin 8 (IL8), known activators of PMN anticandidal function, this study demonstrates that the PMN dysfunction is not global, as PMN cytokine production and autocrine activation remain intact. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.