[Study on phagocytosis of human neutrophils in diabetics]

Infection is one of the most common complications in diabetes mellitus (DM). The neutrophil plays an important role in the anti-infection mechanism. A comparative study on phagocytosis of P. Aeruginosa by human neutrophils in diabetic patients and healthy volunteers was carried out by means of the monolayer of neutrophils and ultrastructural observation in electronic microscopy. The results showed that the rates of phagocytosis, index of phagocytosis and rates of microbe lysis in DM group were much lower than those in normal controls (P < 0.01). The ultrastructure of neutrophils in diabetic patients became apparently abnormal during the process of neutrophil phagocytosis. The results demonstrated that the impairment in phagocytosis of neutrophils may be one of the causes of severe and repeated infection in diabetics.