Enhanced oxidative metabolism of neutrophils from patients with systemic sclerosis

Pathological features of systemic sclerosis (SS) such as endothelial cell injury may be associated with damage caused by active oxygen species, especially peroxides. Neutrophils from SS patients express more Fc(IgG) receptors and generate significantly more peroxide than control cells when cultured alone or with heat-aggregated IgG, but not with F-Met-Leu-Phe. We suggest that circulating neutrophils are activated in SS and may, through secretion of toxic peroxides, contribute to the early vascular pathology of this disease.