Lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence in human neutrophils in the process of chemotactic migration measured in a modified Boyden chamber.

Abstract

To the question of whether an oxidative metabolism of neutrophils occurs in the process of chemotactic migration, we have already demonstrated that formyl-peptide and zymosan-activated serum effectively induced lucigenin-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) in a specially devised Boyden chamber. In the present study we confirmed this and, furthermore, demonstrated that superoxide dismutase partially suppressed the neutrophil chemotaxis to formyl-peptide and concanavalin A, suggesting the participation of superoxide in a chemotactically migrating mechanism. However, monocyte-derived chemotactic factor did not cause any light emission, irrespective of its chemotactic activity. Based on these results, neutrophil chemotactic factors seem to be divided into two types, that is, oxidative metabolism-related and nonrelated. To the former group of chemotactic factors a premature activation of oxidative metabolism in neutrophils may start even at the initial stage of chemotaxis, and these primed cells may respond with a respiratory burst to higher concentrations of the chemoattractant itself or to other chemical mediators present at the site of inflammation.