Superoxide anion independent reduction of nitrobluetetrazolium by human renal tissue

The rate of nitrobluetetrazolium reduction by extracts from rodent and human kidney tissue has been measured in the presence and absence of exogeneous superoxide dismutase and catalase. These oxygen metabolite scavengers had no effect on that reduction rate. Oxygen was inhibitory to nitrobluetetrazolium reduction whereas anaerobiosis enhanced the rate. These data suggest that the reduction rate in renal tissue is not superoxide anion radical mediated as had been previously suggested.