Role of hydroxyl radical in polymorphonuclear leukocyte-mediated bactericidal activity

Among the antimicrobial systems of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) are those that are oxygen-dependent. Recent interest has been directed at the hydroxyl radical(OH.), a highly reactive reduction product of oxygen, as a possible mediator of microbicidal activity. The role of OH. in PMN microbicidal activity is discussed in relation to the observations that (1) an enzymic OH. generating system consisting of xanthine oxidase plus acetaldehyde is bactericidal, (2) phagocytosing PMNs convert substrates like methional and 5,5-dimethyl pyrroline-1-oxide to products suggestive of OH.-mediated reactions and (3) PMN-mediated microbicidal activity is partially inhibited by scavengers of OH.