[Flow cytometric analysis of oxidative burst of phagocytes with small amount of peripheral blood]

We have developed a simple method for assessing the oxidative metabolic burst of peripheral blood leukocytes with a minute amount of whole peripheral blood by flow cytometry according to the method of Bass et al. with some modification. By this method, we can measure the H2O2 production by both granulocytes and monocytes in the same blood sample. The oxidative product formation by peripheral blood neutrophils can be monitored sequentially in the same mouse infected with E. coli. The mice infected intravenously with 0.1 LD50 of the bacteria showed increased basal activities from an early stage of infection; those infected intraperitoneally with the same dose of the bacteria showed a delayed enhancement. In case of infection with 0.01 LD50, the enhanced basal activities lasted for only a short period of time. The H2O2 production was correlated well with the clearance of the infected bacteria. These results demonstrated that the oxidative-product formation by peripheral blood neutrophils is affected by both the route and the dose of infection.