What is the lack of adhesion of leukocytes?
The lack of adhesion of leukocytes (LAD) is a genetic disorder of white blood cells, also known as leukocytes. It is a very rare condition that weakens the immune system. The white blood cells of the patient who have a Lad are usually unable to produce or cannot produce enough CD18, a protein that helps blood effectively to move to infection in the body. They slowly begin to travel to the affected area in a process known as chemotaxe to help with the healing process. When the patient has a lack of adhesion of leukocytes, white blood cells receive a message but cannot move to the site of infection. This is because they lack elements that allow them to attach to the walls of the blood vessels and travel effectively to the wound. As a result, the patient infection cannot recover properly.
The two primary types of lack of adhesion leukocytes are LAD-1 and LAD-2. There is also a third, less defined type known as Lad-3. The most common is also known as the classic type, the type LAD-1 is the most common.
LAD-1 type of leukocytes can be classified as mild or serious. A slight case involves a steep decrease in CD18 protein in the body, which may not cause serious symptoms, but can still be fatal unless treated effectively. Heavy Lad-1 is marked with very small or no CD18 in the body and requires more urgent care to keep life.
Patients with LAD-2 and LAD-3 types suffer from different types of genetic mutations of leukocytes. Blood cells with LAD-2 have impaired travel function. In Lad-3, the last discovered subtype, leukocytes cannot activate to travel through the blood vessels.
Symptoms of leukocyte adhesion include constant skin infections, serious internal infections, candidacy and wounds that are slowly recovering. Some patients may also suffer from a serious case of periodontal disease. The disorder is most common in infants and young children.
LAD is usually treated with bone marrow transplantation that helps to restore normally functional BParticular blood cells into the body. Gene therapy can also be used to treat the condition. Antibiotics are also often prescribed to help fight the constant infections that most patients suffer.