Summary
Polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) chemotaxis was assessed using the in vitro under agarose assay in ten rheumatoid arthritis patients prior to and following a single 10-mg dose of methotrexate (MTX). PMNs obtained from patients after MTX showed a decreased chemotactic migration response to both zymosan activated serum (P<0.005) and N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-phenylalanine (P<0.01). In similar conditions, no significant difference in chemotactic migration could be detected in six rheumatoid arthritis patients not on MTX. In contrast to the in vivo effects of MTX, there was no inhibition of normal PMN chemotactic migration following a 30-min in vitro incubation of the cells with MTX (P<0.99).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson PA, West SG, O'Dell JR, Via CS, Claypool RG, Kotzin BL (1985) Weekly pulse methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical and immunological effects in a randomized double-blind study. Ann Intern Med 103:489–496
Williams HJ, Wilkins RF, Samuelson CO Jr (1985) Comparison of low-dose oral pulse methotrexate and placebo in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a controlled clinical trial. Arthritis Rheum 28:721–730
Stevens JE, Willoughby DA (1969) The anti-inflammatory effect of some immunosuppressive agents. J Pathol 97:367–373
Almeida AP, Bayer BM, Horakova Z, Beaven MA (1980) Influence of indomethacin and other anti-inflammatory drugs on mobilization and production of neutrophils: studies with carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 214:74–79
Ternowitz T, Herlin T (1986) Neutrophil and monocyte chemotaxis in methotrexate-treated psoriatic patients. Acta Derm Venereol [Suppl] (Stockh) 120:23–26
Walsdorfer U, Christophers E, Schroder J-M (1983) Methotrexate inhibits polymorphonuclear leucocyte chemotaxis in psoriasis. J Dermatol 108:451–456
Thompson EN, Sarab-Al-Nakeeb (1981) Effect of leukaemia therapy on neutrophil chemotaxis. J Clin Pathol 34:371–376
Melby K, Quie PG (1984) Effects of methotrexate, ampicillin and gentamicin alone and in combination on the in vitro locomotion on human polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand 92:331–333
Cream JJ, Pole DS (1980) The effect of methotrexate and hydroxyurea on neutrophil chemotaxis. Br J Dermatol 102:557–563
MacFadden DK, Saito S, Pruzanski W (1985) The effect of chemotherapeutic agents on chemotaxis and random migration of human leucocytes. J Clin Oncol 3:415–419
Ropes MW, Bennett EA, Cobb S, Jacox R, Jessar R (1958) Revision of diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis. Bull Rheum Dis 9:175–6
Henson PM, Zanolari B, Schwartzman NA, Hong, SR (1978) Intracellular control of human neutrophil secretion. 1. C5a-induced stimulus-specific desensitization and the effects of cytochalasin B. J Immunol 121:851–855
Al-Sumidae AM, Jones DL, Young HL (1984) Characterization of the under agarose method for quantifying migration of highly purified human monocytes. J Immunol Methods 75:129–140
Nelson RD, Quie PG, Simmons RL (1975) Chemotaxis under agarose: a new and simple method for measuring chemotaxis and spontaneous migration of human polymorphonuclear cells and monocytes. J Immunol 115:1650–1656
Edelman J, Russell AS, Biggs DF, Rothwell RS, Coates J (1983) Methotrexate levels, a guide to therapy? Clin Exp Rheumatol 1:153–156
Snyderman R (1983) Pharmacologic manipulation of leucocyte chemotaxis. Present knowledge and future trends. Am J Med 75:10–18
Bertino JR, Donohue DR, Gabrio BW, Silber R, Alenty A, Meyer M, Huennekens FM (1962) Increased level of dihydrofolic reductase in leucocytes of patients treated with amethopterin. Nature 193:140–142
Chabner BA, Allegra CJ, Curt GA, Clendennin NJ, Baram J, Koizumi S, Drake JC, Jolivet J (1985) Polyglutamation of methotrexate. Is methotrexate a prodrug? J Clin Invest 76:907–912
Koizumi S, Curt GA, Fine RL, Griffin JD, Chabner BA (1985) Formation of methotrexate polyglutamates in purified myeloid precursor cells from normal human bone marrow. J Clin Invest 75:1008–1014
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
O'Callaghan, J.W., Forrest, M.J. & Brooks, P.M. Inhibition of neutrophil chemotaxis in methotrexate-treated rheumatoid arthritis patients. Rheumatol Int 8, 41–45 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00541349
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00541349