Investigating antibody-catalyzed ozone generation by human neutrophils

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Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that antibodies can catalyze the generation of previously unknown oxidants including dihydrogen trioxide (H(2)O(3)) and ozone (O(3)) from singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)(*)) and water. Given that neutrophils have the potential both to produce (1)O(2)(*) and to bind antibodies, we considered that these cells could be a biological source of O(3). We report here further analytical evidence that antibody-coated neutrophils, after activation, produce an oxidant with the chemical signature of O(3). This process is independent of surface antibody concentration down to 50% of the resting concentration, suggesting that surface IgG is highly efficient at intercepting the neutrophil-generated (1)O(2)(*). Vinylbenzoic acid, an orthogonal probe for ozone detection, is oxidized by activated neutrophils to 4-carboxybenzaldehyde in a manner analogous to that obtained for its oxidation by ozone in solution. This discovery of the production of such a powerful oxidant in a biological context raises questions about not only the capacity of O(3) to kill invading microorganisms but also its role in amplification of the inflammatory response by signaling and gene activation.