Free-radical generation by monocytes and neutrophils: a possible cause of plasma lipoprotein modification

The activation of freshly isolated human blood monocytes and neutrophils monitored by oxidized human plasma lipoproteins (LP) was measured by detecting luminol-amplified chemiluminescence. The activation was accompanied by production of superoxide radicals. This finding was confirmed by measuring superoxide dismutase-sensitive reduction of cytochrome c. Incubation of monocytes or neutrophils with low-density lipoproteins (LDL) resulted in the accumulation of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products which were assayed by the 2-thiobarbituric acid test. Data from inhibitory analysis suggest that the hydroxyl radical scavenger, mannitol, had no appreciable effect on the accumulation of LPO products during the incubation of LDL with either cell type. However, catalase, superoxide dismutase, the metal ion chelators desferrioxamine and EDTA, as well as the free radical scavenger, butylated hydroxytoluene, markedly decreased the accumulation of LPO products in the medium--by 88%, 67%, 38%, 52%, and 47%, respectively, after incubation of LDL with monocytes, and by 65%, 47%, 41%, 65%, and 100% after incubation of LDL with neutrophils. These results indicate that activation of monocytes and neutrophils by oxidized LP intensifies LPO which proceeds via a free-radical mechanism that is superoxide-dependent and is catalyzed by transition metals.