Alteration of human granulocyte functional responses by menadione

Menadione is a synthetic derivative of the natural vitamins K with antiinflammatory activity among its potentially significant clinical properties. We have found this agent to stimulate the production of superoxide anion (O2-) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and dimethylsulfoxide-differentiated HL-60 cells in a time-, cell number-, and drug concentration-dependent manner. Conversely, menadione attenuates both O2- production and lysozyme release in cells stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), fMet-Leu-Phe, or Ca2+ ionophore. 4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-2-2'-disulfonic acid stilbene and 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2-2'disulfonic acid stilbene, agents which inhibit transmembrane O2-) flux, do not alter menadione's effects on superoxide dismutase (SOD) inhibitable cytochrome c reduction in resting or PMA-stimulated PMN. Likewise, quinone reductase inhibitors, warfarin and dicumarol, known to attenuate vitamin K-dependent responses and enhance quinone-mediated oxidative stress, have no effect upon menadione-stimulated O2- production. Furthermore, menadione-induced suppression of stimulus-mediated lysozyme release is not reversed by cotreatment with oxygen metabolite scavenging enzymes SOD and catalase. Nevertheless, under conditions of restricted oxygen supply, the suppressive effect of menadione on stimulant-induced lysozyme release is greatly diminished. Thus, although pharmacological manipulation suggests otherwise, there appears to exist at least a component of the inhibitory activity of menadione that is oxygen dependent, and may be oxidative stress-related.