INFLUENCE OF 4-HYDROXYNONENAL ON CHEMILUMINESCENCE PRODUCTION BY UNSTIMULATED AND OPSONIZED ZYMOSAN-STIMULATED HUMAN NEUTROPHILS

The lipid peroxidation product 4‐hydroxy‐2,3‐trans‐nonenal (HNE) has a spectrum of biological effects on different cell types depending on the concentrations tested. In particular micromolar HNE concentrations stimulate neutrophil migration and polarization whereas higher doses inhibit. In our experimental conditions, fMet‐Leu‐Phe (fMLP) increased CL production of both unstimulated and zymosan‐stimulated neutrophils, whereas cell stimulation with low HNE concentrations as well as zymosan addition to HNE incubated cells did not enhance light emission. In contrast 10−4 M HNE reduced CL emission by unstimulated cells nearly to background values, completely depressed CL production by zymosan‐stimulated cells and reduced phagocytosis. Cysteine was found to be able to counteract the HNE effect by about 70 per cent. The possibility that this aldehyde could exert its inhibitory effect through the alkylation of NADPH‐oxidase SH‐groups is postulated. Moreover, our present data on differences observed between fMLP and HNE indicate a different chemotactic mechanism induced by these two classes of compounds and lead to the conclusion that the local functional features of the attracted cells may be different. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.