Effect of ascorbate on abnormal neutrophil, platelet and lymphocytic function in a patient with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome

A diminished chemotactic response was observed with the neutrophils of a patient with the Chediak-Higashi syndrome, who was not in the accelerated phase of the disease. An abnormally low release of myeloperoxidase from these cells during phagocytosis was also noted; this resulted in a decreased iodination capacity and probably also caused the defect in the intracellular killing of bacteria by the neutrophils. The level of cyclic AMP in these cells was elevated, but decreased after treatment with ascorbate either in vitro or in vivo. During ascorbate therapy, the bactericidal activity of the neutrophils normalized, whereas the chemotactic response remained low. Nevertheless, the patient had significantly less infections during ascorbate therapy. The bleeding tendency, due to a storage-pool disorder of the Chediak-Higashi platelets, was unaffected by treatment with ascorbate. The patient's lymphocytes did not display any activity in antibody-dependent lymphocytotoxicity. This defect was not affected by treatment with ascorbate either.