Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Clinical Investigation logoLink to The Journal of Clinical Investigation
. 1975 Sep;56(3):571–576. doi: 10.1172/JCI108126

The role of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide in phagocytosis-associated oxidative metabolic reactions.

R L Baehner, S K Murrmann, J Davis, R B Johnston Jr
PMCID: PMC301904  PMID: 169293

Abstract

The contribution of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and one of its unstable intermediates, superoxide anion (O2), to the oxidative reactions that occur in phagocytizing leukocytes was explored by depleting these cells of O2. This was accomplished by allowing them to phagocytize latex particles coated with superoxide dismutase (SOD), which catalyzes the generation of H2O2 from O2. Although the rate and extent of phagocytosis of latex coated with bovine serum albumin was similar to latex coated with SOD, the rate of oxygen consumption, [14C]formate oxidation, [1-14C]glucose oxidation, and iodination of zymosan particles was significantly enhanced by SOD. In contrast, the rate and extent of reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) was diminished by 60%. These studies indicate that the majority of NBT reduction by leukocytes is due to O2, whereas stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt and iodination of ingested particles requires H2O2 generated from the increased reduction of oxygen by phagocytizing leukocytes.

Full text

PDF
571

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Allen R. C., Stjernholm R. L., Steele R. H. Evidence for the generation of an electronic excitation state(s) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and its participation in bactericidal activity. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1972 May 26;47(4):679–684. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(72)90545-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Babior B. M., Kipnes R. S., Curnutte J. T. Biological defense mechanisms. The production by leukocytes of superoxide, a potential bactericidal agent. J Clin Invest. 1973 Mar;52(3):741–744. doi: 10.1172/JCI107236. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baehner R. L., Gilman N., Karnovsky M. L. Respiration and glucose oxidation in human and guinea pig leukocytes: comparative studies. J Clin Invest. 1970 Apr;49(4):692–700. doi: 10.1172/JCI106281. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G., Castle W. B. Oxidant injury of caucasian glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient red blood cells by phagocytosing leukocytes during infection. J Clin Invest. 1971 Dec;50(12):2466–2473. doi: 10.1172/JCI106747. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G., Karnovsky M. L. Correction of metabolic deficiencies in the leukocytes of patients with chronic granulomatous disease. J Clin Invest. 1970 May;49(5):865–870. doi: 10.1172/JCI106305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Baehner R. L., Nathan D. G. Quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium test in chronic granulomatous disease. N Engl J Med. 1968 May 2;278(18):971–976. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196805022781801. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Johnston R. B., Jr, Baehner R. L. Improvement of leukocyte bactericidal activity in chronic granulomatous disease. Blood. 1970 Mar;35(3):350–355. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Johnston R. B., Jr, Keele B. B., Jr, Misra H. P., Lehmeyer J. E., Webb L. S., Baehner R. L., RaJagopalan K. V. The role of superoxide anion generation in phagocytic bactericidal activity. Studies with normal and chronic granulomatous disease leukocytes. J Clin Invest. 1975 Jun;55(6):1357–1372. doi: 10.1172/JCI108055. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. KARNOVSKY M. L. Metabolic basis of phagocytic activity. Physiol Rev. 1962 Jan;42:143–168. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1962.42.1.143. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Karnovsky M. L. Chronic granulomatous disease--pieces of a cellular and molecular puzzle. Fed Proc. 1973 Apr;32(4):1527–1533. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Karnovsky M. L. The metabolism of leukocytes. Semin Hematol. 1968 Apr;5(2):156–165. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Klebanoff S. J., Hamon C. B. Role of myeloperoxidase-mediated antimicrobial systems in intact leukocytes. J Reticuloendothel Soc. 1972 Aug;12(2):170–196. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McCord J. M., Fridovich I. Superoxide dismutase. An enzymic function for erythrocuprein (hemocuprein). J Biol Chem. 1969 Nov 25;244(22):6049–6055. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Paul B., Sbarra A. J. The role of the phagocyte in host-parasite interactions. 13. The direct quantitative estimation of H2O2 in phagocytizing cells. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1968 Feb 1;156(1):168–178. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(68)90116-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Pincus S. H., Klebanoff S. J. Quantitative leukocyte iodination. N Engl J Med. 1971 Apr 8;284(14):744–750. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197104082841402. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Reed P. W. Glutathione and the hexose monophosphate shunt in phagocytizing and hydrogen peroxide-treated rat leukocytes. J Biol Chem. 1969 May 10;244(9):2459–2464. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Webb L. S., Keele B. B., Jr, Johnston R. B., Jr Inhibition of phagocytosis-associated chemiluminescence by superoxide dismutase. Infect Immun. 1974 Jun;9(6):1051–1056. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.6.1051-1056.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Investigation are provided here courtesy of American Society for Clinical Investigation

RESOURCES