title: Unique characteristics of superoxide production by human eosinophils in eosinophilic states.
abstract: Eosinophils from patients with peripheral blood eosinophilia and human neutrophils from normal subjects and patients with neutrophilia produced superoxide anion (O2-) in vitro at similar rates in the absence of stimulation and exhibited comparably increased rates of O2- production during the initial 1 h of incubation with opsonized zymosan. In the presence of opsonized zymosan, the rate of O2- production by eosinophils was constantly high for 3 h, whereas the rate of production by neutrophils fell by more than 65% after 1 h. Consequently, the amount of superoxide produced by phagocytizing leukocytes was twofold higher for eosinophils than for neutrophils at 3 h. O2- production by cell-free sonicates of zymosan-stimulated eosinophils and neutrophils exhibited the same preference for NADPH over NADH. One mM sodium azide significantly decreased the generation of O2- by phagocytizing eosinophils, but lacked an effect on neutrophils. the prolonged release of O2- by eosinophils engaged in phagocytosis may contribute both to their unique microbicidal profile and to the capacity of eosinophils to injure host tissues in some eosinophilic syndromes.
mesh_terms: D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010544:Peroxidases / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000502:physiology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D015054:Zymosan / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D013481:Superoxides; D015054:Zymosan; D010544:Peroxidases; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010100:Oxygen