Defective monocyte chemotaxis in children with Down's syndrome

Under-agarose random migration, chemokinesis and chemotaxis of monocytes from 36 patients with Down's syndrome were compared to those of monocytes from 42 healthy, age-matched control children. Random migration of monocytes from patients with Down's syndrome was comparable to that of controls. In contrast, chemotaxis of monocytes from patients with Down's syndrome was significantly decreased (P less than 0.001) when compared to that of controls, even though chemokinesis was significantly increased (P less than 0.001). Age, sex, and physical development of patients with Down's syndrome or of control children included in this study had no apparent effect upon monocyte mobility.