TABLE 1.

Neutrophil-mediated microbial killing

Microbicidal substance	Action
Defensins	Cause gram-negative bacterial permeability
Proteinase 3	Amplifies inflammation
Elastase	Degrades outer membrane protein of gram-negative bacteria
PLA2	Has potent bactericidal activity against S. aureus
Myeloperoxidase	Converts H2O2 to HOCI
Metalloproteinases	Gelatinase and collagenase may activate chemokines in addition to cleaving matrix proteins
Reactive oxygen species	Cause oxidation of bacterial proteins and nucleic acids