pubmed-article:7823303 | pubmed:abstractText | Salivary polymorphonuclear leukocyte (SPMN) functions were examined in 18 patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and in 20 healthy individuals. SPMN obtained from patients before therapy exhibited significantly less FMLP-stimulated chemotactic activity (132.4 +/- 17.5 cells/0.26 mm2) than that in SPMN from controls (177.1 +/- 11.6 cells/0.26 mm2), although no difference in phagocytosis was observed. When stimulated with PMA or FMLP, control SPMN generated superoxide (O2-) at levels of 50.3 +/- 10.5 pmol/min/10(4) cells and 88.4 +/- 15.4 pmol, respectively, while SPMN from untreated patients generated significantly reduced O2- in the presence of PMA or FMLP (24.3 +/- 3.5 pmol and 59.5 +/- 9.8 pmol, respectively). Only slightly lower chemiluminescence was observed in SPMN from untreated patients however, compared to controls, values being 68.0 +/- 18.9 vs 81.3 +/- 14.9 peak mV by PMA and 62.4 +/- 13.7 vs 64.4 +/- 12.9 peak mV by FMLP. Compared to Candida killing in control subjects (24.9 +/- 3.1%). SPMN from patients before treatment exhibited significantly reduced activity (18.7 +/- 4.9%). Further suppression of the SPMN functions examined was observed after chemoradio-therapy. Suppressed SPMN function in cancer patients, especially that associated with chemoradiotherapy, may therefore play a part in oral candidiasis. | lld:pubmed |