Gamma Interferon Enhances the Killing of Staphylococcus aureus by Human Neutrophils

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Abstract
The effect of purified human interferon-.gamma. on the responsiveness of human neutrophils was investigated. Pre-incubation of neutrophils with 100 U interferon ml-1 for 10 min at 37.degree. C resulted in a 2.5-fold increase in N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-stimulated reactive oxygen metabolite generation (as assayed by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence). Pretreatment of neutrophils with interferon also potentiated their ability to kill Staphylococcus aureus, and thus it is proposed that this lymphokine may also enhance neutrophil function in vivo under certain pathological conditions.