The effect of allopurinol on lysosomal enzyme release

Values of released enzymes from PMNL under resting conditions and after phagocytic stimulation in non-treated patients with gout were increased in comparison with healthy controls and hyperuricemic patients without joint involvement. Allopurinol, given to gout-patients for 3 weeks, had an inhibitory effect on PMNL lysosomal enzyme release from which was also observable after stimulation by opsonized zymosan. Similar results were obtained in experiments in vitro. The 1 hr preincubation of isolated polymorphonuclear leukocytes with allopurinol in concentrations from 0.01 mM-1 mM resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of enzymes released into extracellular space.