Defective function of peripheral blood monocytes in patients with Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

Phagocytosis and lysis of C. pseudotropicalis by peripheral blood monocytes from Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were analysed. In Hodgkin's disease, there was a decrease in the phagocytic activity of blood monocytes; moreover, the candidacidal activity was significantly decreased as compared with normal controls. Although monocytes from non-Hodgkin's patients presented normal phagocytic function, the ability to kill C. pseudotropicalis was impaired. In both groups of lymphomas, the data showed that the abnormal findings were not related to treatment. These results indicate that monocytes from Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma posses a deficiency in killing C. pseudotropicalis, which could be due to an intrinsic macrophage defect in the myeloperoxidase-independent mechanisms and which may be responsible for the predisposition of the se patients to candida infections.