Peroxidation of linolenic acid promoted by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes

Human polymorphonuclear leucocytes were found to promote peroxidation linolenic acid micelles. The peroxidation was markedly enhanced by addition of ferric iron, either in the form of chloride, ADP-complex or EDTA to the phosphate-buffered reaction mixture. The leucocyte oxygen burst was induced by the addition of the lipid micelles, and no other stimulatory agent was therefore required. Pretreatment of the leucocytes with cytochalasin B did not inhibit t.e lipid peroxidation which indicates that phagocytosis was not part of the peroxidative mechanism. Lipid peroxidation was inhibited by alpha-tocopherol acetate, butylated hydroxytoluene, manganese ions and desferrioxamine but not by superoxide dismutase, catalase or the hydroxyl radical scavenger dimethylsulfoxide. Lipid peroxidation promoted by xanthine oxidase, was studied for comparison. This was inhibited by superoxide dismutase, indicating that xanthine oxidase, in contrast to leucocytes, promotes lipid peroxidation via a superoxide-dependent mechanism. Manganese ions and butylated hydroxytoluene, and to a lesser extent alpha-tocopherol, were also inhibitors. The leucocyte promoted lipid peroxidation is similar to the well-known peroxidation promoted by microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase, which also is not induced by superoxide radicals. Peroxidation of lipids may be a mechanism whereby granulocytes express tissue damage in for example inflammation and ischaemia.