IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO EFFECTS OF GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR ON NEUTROPHILS IN GLYCOGEN-STORAGE-DISEASE TYPE-1B - GRANULOCYTE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR THERAPY CORRECTS THE NEUTROPENIA AND THE DEFECTS IN RESPIRATORY BURST ACTIVITY AND CA2+ MOBILIZATION

Children with glycogen storage disease (GSD) type 1b are susceptible to recurrent bacterial infections and have chronic neutropenia accompanied by phagocytic cell dysfunction including decreased superoxide anion (O2-) generation, calcium (Ca2+) mobilization, and chemotactic activity. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a cytokine that corrects neutropenia in other diseases, in vitro enhances f-Met-Leu-Phe-triggered neutrophil O2- generation. Short-term pretreatment (15 min) of GSD lb neutrophils with G-CSF increased the rate of O2- production (p < 0.01); however, this rate was still significantly below the rate of 02- production in control neutrophils. Recombinant human G-CSF (5 mug/kg/d) was administered s.c. to a GSD lb patient. Before treatment, absolute neutrophil counts were < 500/mm3. Two d after G-CSF administration, the absolute neutrophil counts increased to 1333 and remained in the normal range during a 12-mo follow-up period. In vivo, G-CSF therapy increased f-Met-Leu-Phe-stimulated 02- production to 52% of control after 1 mo, and by mo 4, 02- production reached control levels. Our previous studies (J Clin Invest 56:196202, 1990) demonstrated that decreased O2- production in neutrophils was associated with impaired Ca2+ mobilization. In vivo administration of G-CSF increased f-Met-Leu-Phe-triggered Ca2+ mobilization by neutrophils to 43% of control by mo 1 of G-CSF therapy and to 93% of control by mo 4, thus paralleling the improvements in O2-generation. In contrast, G-CSF therapy had no effect on the defective neutrophil chemotaxis. In summary, G-CSF therapy produced a rapid increase in circulating neutrophils and a gradual correction of O2- production. Long-term exposure to G-CSF may be required for correction of both neutropenia and 02- production in GSD 1b patients.