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Local changes in membrane potential intensify neutrophil oxidative burst
S Simcic1, F Bobanović, V Kotnik
1Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Physiological Chemistry and Physics and Medical NMR
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Pulsed electrical fields enhance neutrophil oxidative burst responses, particularly when combined with ionomycin. This electrical stimulation potentiates chemically induced activation, showing significant increases in both integrated and peak responses.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cellular Physiology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Neutrophils play a critical role in the innate immune system, mediating host defense through mechanisms like the oxidative burst.
- The oxidative burst involves the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) essential for pathogen killing.
- Various chemical stimuli, including ionomycin, fMLP, and PMA, activate neutrophils through distinct signaling pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of pulsed electrical fields (PEF) on the oxidative burst response in human neutrophils.
- To determine if PEF alone or combined with chemical stimuli (ionomycin, fMLP, PMA) modulates neutrophil activation.
- To elucidate the specific pathways through which PEF influences chemically induced neutrophil responses.
Main Methods:
- Human neutrophils were subjected to pulsed electrical fields (PEF) alone or in combination with ionomycin, fMLP, or PMA.
- The oxidative burst response was quantified using the luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence technique.
- Measurements included integrated oxidative burst response (cumulative ROS production) and peak response level.
Main Results:
- PEF alone did not induce an oxidative burst response.
- PEF significantly potentiated chemically induced oxidative burst responses.
- Combined PEF and ionomycin resulted in an 87% higher integrated response and 114% higher peak response compared to ionomycin alone. PEF with fMLP showed a 32% higher integrated and 22% higher peak response. PEF with PMA showed only a 4.7% increase in integrated response with no significant peak difference.
Conclusions:
- Pulsed electrical fields enhance the oxidative burst response in human neutrophils, particularly when combined with ionomycin.
- Electrical field treatment preferentially potentiates calcium-induced activation pathways (ionomycin) compared to calcium-dependent pathways (fMLP, PMA).
- PEF represents a potential tool for modulating neutrophil function in immune responses.