{
  "abstract": "Multiple myeloma is a hematologic cancer caused by abnormal plasma cell proliferation in the bone marrow and is associated with significant immune dysfunction. Neutrophils, essential components of the innate immune response, may function poorly in patients with multiple myeloma, increasing the risk of infection and affecting disease progression. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the extent of neutrophil dysfunction in patients with newly diagnosed and relapsed multiple myeloma. The study employed a cross-sectional analytical design and recruited 72 participants: 30 multiple myeloma patients and 42 age- and sex-matched healthy controls from the University Teaching Hospital and the Cancer Diseases Hospital of Lusaka, Zambia. 4 mL of venous blood was collected from all participants in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid vacutainers for laboratory analysis. Neutrophils were isolated from whole blood using Polymorphprep™, and functionality was assessed using in vitro assays, including a phagocytosis assay using fluorescently labeled bacterial particles and a reactive oxygen species assay using the fluorescent probe 2’, 7’-Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate, measured by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA. Neutrophils from multiple myeloma patients demonstrated significantly lower phagocytic capacity (45.0% vs 75.9%, P < 0.001) and reactive oxygen species production (44.7% vs 74.9%, P < 0.001) compared to controls. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated strong associations between multiple myeloma and both reactive oxygen species (OR=5097.6, P < 0.001) and phagocytic dysfunction (OR=7272.7, P < 0.001). By contrast, age, sex, white blood cell count, and absolute neutrophil count were not significantly associated with these outcomes. The study found that patients with multiple myeloma exhibit qualitative impairment of neutrophil function, despite normal quantitative neutrophil counts, underscoring the importance of functional immune monitoring in patient management.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia",
    "Haematology Section, Pathology Department, the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia",
    "Pathology Department, Ndola Teaching Hospital, Ndola, Zambia"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kapina Mwampembwa"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Emmanuel Mweni"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Humphrey Mwape"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ruth Daka"
    },
    {
      "name": "John Nzobokela"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chrispin Chisanga"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sody Munsaka"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ftpcf9rzhhb13.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0360063",
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  "id": "ftpcf9rzhhb13",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0360063",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2720|Multiple Myeloma Research and Treatments"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Blood"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Blood/Blood counts"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Phagocytosis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Blood cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Body fluids/Blood"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Body fluids/Blood/Blood counts"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Blood"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Body fluids/Blood/Blood counts"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Hematology/Hematologic cancers and related disorders/Myelomas and lymphoproliferative diseases/Myeloma/Multiple myeloma"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Hematology/Plasma cell disorders/Multiple myeloma"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Immunology/Immune cells/White blood cells/Neutrophils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Hematologic cancers and related disorders/Myelomas and lymphoproliferative diseases/Myeloma/Multiple myeloma"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Antenatal care"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Reactive oxygen species"
    ],
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      "/Research and analysis methods/Cell enumeration techniques"
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  "openalex": "W7221010337",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0360063&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-08",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ftpcf9rzhhb13.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
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    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
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  "title": "Functional characterization of neutrophils in patients with multiple myeloma",
  "title_text": "Functional characterization of neutrophils in patients with multiple myeloma",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/ftpcf9rzhhb13",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}