C5a-induced chemiluminescence of human granulocytes and its amplification by a serum factor

Purified human C5a elicits a fast chemiluminescence (CL) response from isolated human granulocytes in the presence of Lucigenin (bis-N-methylacridinium nitrate). The reaction is inhibitable to more than 90% by superoxide dismutase (SOD) - final concentration 200 micrograms/ml -, to about 60% by catalase - final concentration 10 mg/ml - and to 30% by the hydroxyl radical scavenger D-mannit - final concentration 100 mM. Therefore O2- seems to be the oxygen radical responsible for most of the CL, while OH and H2O2 are also involved. Addition of normal pool serum to the cells for 1-2 min before stimulation with C5a strongly enhances the effect in a dose and time-dependent manner. Therefore the existence of a "helper activity" in serum amplifying the C5a-induced CL of granulocytes is postulated. This "helper activity" is, however, no specific for C5a, since CL responses elicited with the chemotactic peptide f-met-phe or by phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA) are also enhanced by preincubation with serum. In contrast, ConA-induced CL is not enhanced but decreased. Therefore, though not unique to C5a-induced CL, the "helper activity" seems not to represent a general "adjuvans" effect of serum on the granulocytes, but to be restricted to certain stimuli.