Effect of sodium ascorbate on the chemiluminescent response of murine peritoneal exudate cells

Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant that neutralizes reactive oxygen radicals. The purpose of this study was to determine if sodium ascorbate would neutralize the reactive oxygen products generated during the respiratory burst of thioglycollate-elicited murine peritoneal exudate cells (PEC). In vitro and in vivo studies were done. Cells treated in vitro showed a significant, dose-dependent reduction in chemiluminescence (CL) after activation with opsonized zymosan. Higher concentrations of sodium ascorbate (24.2 mM) produced a significantly greater reduction in CL than did lower concentrations (0.242 mM). This range of sodium ascorbate concentrations overlaps those found in normal leukocytes (1-4 mM). Sodium ascorbate at physiological plasma concentrations (0.09 mM) did not reduce CL. Cells incubated with 500 mM sodium ascorbate in vitro and then washed once prior to zymosan activation also showed a significant reduction in CL. In contrast, PEC harvested from mice treated in vivo with sodium ascorbate (one or five daily doses of 1.0 M sodium ascorbate, 0.01 ml/g body weight) did not show a reduction in CL. This concentration of sodium ascorbate represents a dose that is 2310 times greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). These studies show that physiological doses of sodium ascorbate can quench CL in vitro, but even large doses of sodium ascorbate administered in vivo do not affect the CL of harvested murine PEC.