Production of Superoxide Anion and Hydrogen Peroxide by Human Neutrophilic Granulocytes during Chemotactic Migration towards f-Met-Leu-Phe, C5a, Leukotriene B4, Monocyte-Derived Chemotaxin/IL-8 and Platelet-Activating Factor

Abstract

During the chemotactic migration of human neutrophilic granulocytes towards the chemotactic factors f-Met-Leu-Phe, C5a, leukotriene B4 (LTB4), monocyte-derived chemotaxin (MOC/IL-8) and platelet-activating factor (PAF) in Boyden chambers, the production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide was measured by superoxide dismutase-inhibitable cytochrome C reduction and oxidation of p-OH-phenylacetic acid, respectively. With the exception of 10(-6) M PAF, none of the factors at optimal chemotactic concentrations induced the production of O2- or H2O2 in amounts significantly different from neutrophilic granulocytes migrating at random. At 20-50 times the optimal chemotactic concentration some O2- and H2O2 production was observed with f-Met-Leu-Phe, C5a and LTB4, but not with MOC/IL-8. Superoxide dismutase, catalase or a combination of the two added to both compartments of the Boyden chambers did not affect the random or chemotactic migration towards any of the chemotactic factors. The results suggest that chemotactic migration and the production of reactive oxygen metabolites by human neutrophilic granulocytes are unrelated events.