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Superoxide generation by EBV-transformed B lymphocytes. Activation by IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha and receptor independent
J T Hancock1, L M Henderson, O T Jones
1Department of Biochemistry, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol.
Abstract:
The generation of superoxide by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed human B lymphocytes can be stimulated by a range of compounds; receptor-dependent stimuli include tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS), and independent stimuli include AlF3, A21387 and ionomycin. The stimuli suggest that the activation pathway for the lymphocyte oxidase is similar to that proposed for the neutrophil oxidase. Although the rate of superoxide production was lower than that by neutrophils, the respiratory burst was much prolonged. It is possible that this superoxide generation by lymphocytes may have a biological function.