title: Selective defect in human neutrophil superoxide anion generation elicited by the chemoattractant N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine in pregnancy.
abstract: Pregnancy has been associated with alterations of polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) function. Superoxide anion production was studied in pregnant women paired with nonpregnant women of childbearing age. There was a significant decrease in the amount of cytochrome c reduced in response to 1 microM N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe) but not to phorbol myristate acetate, 4 or 20 ng/ml. Chemotaxis was also depressed. Binding of tritiated fMet-Leu-Phe to PMNs from pregnant women was not defective. Incubation of normal cells in up to 10(-6) M estradiol or progesterone did not mimic the defect, but 10(-7) M progesterone caused a decrease in chemotaxis. Serum pooled from women with the defect had no effect on superoxide anion production by normal PMNs. PMN rosetting with IgG-sensitized human erythrocytes was normal. Defective production of superoxide anion may contribute to the amelioration of connective tissue disease and increased susceptibility to infection often seen during pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008715:Methionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D009239:N-Formylmethionine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D013481:Superoxides; D009239:N-Formylmethionine; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D008715:Methionine; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D010100:Oxygen