title: Stimulation of the hexose monophosphate shunt in human neutrophils by ascorbic acid: mechanism of action.
abstract: The addition of either ascorbic acid or dehydroascorbic acid to a suspension of polymorphonuclear leukocytes caused a dramatic increase in the resting hexose monophosphate shunt activity. A sequence of reactions involving dehydroascorbate, reduced glutathione, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate is described to explain this stimulation. This sequence could provide an alternate method of producing H(2)O(2) and a bactericidal mechanism which is independent of myeloperoxidase.
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006600:Hexosephosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D006600:Hexosephosphates; D005978:Glutathione; D005947:Glucose; D001205:Ascorbic Acid