Selective inhibition of human neutrophil chemotaxis by ECHO-virus, type 9

Preincubation (37 degrees C, 60 min) of human neutrophilic granulocytes with various concentrations of infectious ECHO virus, type 9, strain A. Barty resulted in virus-dose dependent inhibition of neutrophil chemotactic reactivity (Boyden-chamber assay) to chemoattractants (F-Met-Leu-Phen: zymosan-activated human serum). Other cellular functions-phagocytosis, increase of oxidative cell metabolism, intracellular killing of live staphylococci--remained intact. This selective inhibition of human neutrophilic chemotaxis was due to viral induced cytotoxicity or competitive inhibition of chemotactic cell surface receptors.