Reduced phagocytosis promoting activity of saliva from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have an increased susceptibility to oral and other infections. In a previous study we have shown that normal human saliva contains phagocytosis promoting factor(s). Saliva from healthy subjects enhanced in vitro phagocytosis of latex particles by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and monocytes. Therefore, it was of interest to examine the phagocytosis promoting activity of saliva from patients with CLL. Homologous PMNL and monocytes from healthy subjects supplemented by saliva from patients with CLL demonstrated in vitro a decreased phagocytosis of latex particles, in comparison with cells supplemented by saliva from healthy subjects. This observation suggests that saliva from CLL patients has a reduced phagocytosis promoting ability. This finding may contribute to a further clarification of the increased susceptibility of CLL patients to oral infections.