Unique characteristics of superoxide production by human eosinophils in eosinophilic states

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Abstract
Eosinophils from patients with peripheral blood eosinophilia and human neutrophils from normal subjects and patients with neutrophilia produced superoxide anion (O2 −) in vitro at similar rates in the absence of stimulation and exhibited comparably increased rates of O2 − production during the initial 1 h of incubation with opsonized zymosan. In the presence of opsonized zymosan, the rate of O2 − production by eosinophils was constantly high for 3 h, whereas the rate of production by neutrophils fell by more than 65% after 1 h. Consequently, the amount of superoxide produced by phagocytizing leukocytes was twofold higher for eosinophils than for neutrophils at 3 h. O2 − production by cell-free sonicates of zymosan-stimulated eosinophils and neutrophils exhibited the same preference for NADPH over NADH. One mM sodium azide significantly decreased the generation of O2 − by phagocytizing eosinophils, but lacked an effect on neutrophils. The prolonged release of O2 − by eosinophils engaged in phagocytosis may contribute both to their unique microbicidal profile and to the capacity of eosinophils to injure host tissues in some eosinophilic syndromes.

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