ALTERED OXIDATIVE METABOLIC RESPONSES INVITRO OF ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES FROM ASYMPTOMATIC CIGARETTE SMOKERS

Abstract

Superoxide anion .**GRAPHIC**. released by alveolar macrophages (AM) from young asymptomatic cigarette smokers was greater than that by AM from age-matched nonsmokers. Greater .**GRAPHIC**. release by AM from cigarette smokers was observed before and after stimulation by bacteria or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). O2 uptake and glucose (1-14C) oxidation by unstimulated or stimulated AM from cigarette smokers was the same as that by AM from nonsmokers. Selective increase of .**GRAPHIC**. release by AM from cigarette smokers was not due to a lack of .**GRAPHIC**. scavenging agent within cells, since intracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD) was increased in AM from smokers. The potential importance of enchanced .**GRAPHIC**. release by AM from cigarette smokers was confirmed by demonstrating that lysis of fibroblasts induced by AM from smokers was completely prevented by addition of SOD and catalase.