Metabolic activity of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes: relation to ingestion rate

Abstract

Ingestion rate and O2-dependent metabolic activities of normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes were measured with heat-killed Klebsiella as the particle. Since the experimental conditions were similar for each measurement, direct correlations could be made between each O2-dependent reaction and ingestion rate and the other O2-dependent reactions. In the controls, O2-uptake was more reliably correlated (r [correlation coefficient] = 0.960) with ingestion rates than with (in order of reliability) H2O2 produced (r = 0.860) and iodination (r = 0.858 and 0.813 for 100 and 20 .mu.mol/l iodide, respectively). H2O2 production (r = 0.988), nitroblue tetrazolium reduction (r = 0.969) and cytochrome c reduction (r = 0.862) were more reliably correlated to O2-uptake than to ingestion rate and iodination was better related to H2O2 production (r = 0.90 and 0.819 for 100 and 20 .mu.mol/l iodide, respectively) than to ingestion rate. Primary defects in abnormal polymorphonuclear leukocytes could be found from individual patients with pyogenic infections, idiopathic refractory anemia or idiopathic osteomyelofibrosis with splenomegaly, even when several deficiencies existed.