The superoxide-generating oxidase of leucocytes. NADPH-dependent reduction of flavin and cytochrome b in solubilized preparations.

An NADPH-dependent O2.- -generating oxidase was solubilized from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-activated pig neutrophils by using a mixture of detergents. Recovery of oxidase was approx. 40%. The extract contained cytochrome b-245 (331 pmol/mg of protein) and FAD (421 pmol/mg of protein); approx. 30% of each was reduced within 60s when NADPH was added to anaerobic incubations. Three different additives, quinacrine, p-chloromercuribenzoate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, strongly inhibited O2.- generation; they also inhibited the reduction by NADPH of cytochrome b at the same low concentrations. In the presence of p-chloromercuribenzoate cytochrome b reduction was strongly inhibited and flavin reduction was less inhibited. A detergent extract prepared from non-stimulated neutrophils also contained flavin and cytochrome b, but its rate of O2.- production was less than 1% of that from activated cells; its initial rate of cytochrome b and flavin reduction was low, although the state of reduction at equilibrium was similar to that of extracts of activated cells. Even in the non-activated cell extract the reduction of flavin and cytochrome was made fast and complete when Methyl Viologen was added to the anaerobic incubations. The oxidase was temperature-sensitive, with a sharp maximum at 25 degrees C; temperatures above this caused loss of O2.- generation, and this coincided with loss of the characteristic cytochrome b spectrum, indicate of denaturation of the cytochrome. The cytochrome b formed a complex with butyl isocyanide (close to 100% binding at 10mM); butyl isocyanide also inhibited the oxidase activity of stimulated whole neutrophils (22.5% inhibition at 10mM). Photoreduced FMN stimulated O2 uptake by the oxidase. The results support a scheme of electron transport within the oxidase complex involving NADPH, FAD, cytochrome b-245 and O2 in that sequence.     

Oxidation-reduction properties of the cytochrome b found in the plasma-membrane fraction of human neutrophils. A possible oxidase in the respiratory burst.

The oxidation-reduction midpoint potential of the cytochrome b found in the plasma membrane of human neutrophils has been determined at pH 7.0 (Em,7.0) from measurements of absorption spectra at fixed potentials. In both unstimulated and phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated cells Em,7.0 was -245 mV. Changes in pH affected the Em of the cytochrome b, with a slope of approx. 25 mV/pH unit change. The Em,7.0 of the haem group(s) of the membrane-bound myeloperoxidase of human neutrophils was found to be +34 mV. The plasma membranes contained no detectable ubiquinone, and no iron-sulphur compounds were detected by e.p.r. spectroscopy at 5-20 K. No flavins were detected by e.p.r. spectroscopy. The cytochrome b-245 was not reduced by added NADH or NADPH. Dithionite-reduced cytochrome b-245 formed a complex with CO, supplied as a saturated solution, which was dissociated with 26 microseconds illumination from a xenon flash lamp, and the recombination with CO had a half-time of approx. 6 ms. Partly (80%) reduced cytochrome b-245 was oxidized by added air-saturated buffer with a half-time faster than 1 s at 20 degrees C, a resolution limited by mixing time. These results are compatible with cytochrome b-245 acting as an oxidase.     

Studies on the electron-transfer mechanism of the human neutrophil NADPH oxidase.

A superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase was solubilized from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-activated human neutrophils with a mixture of sodium deoxycholate (0.125%, w/v) and Lubrol-PX (0.125%, v/v). The solubilized preparation contained FAD (577 pmol/mg of protein) and cytochrome b-245 (479 pmol/mg of protein) and produced 11.61 mol of O2-./s per mol of cytochrome b (340 nmol of O2-./min per mg of protein). On addition of NADPH, the cytochrome b-245 was reduced by 7.9% and the FAD by 38% in the aerobic steady state; NADH addition caused little steady-state reduction of cytochrome b and FAD. In this preparation, and several others, the measured rate of O2-. production correlated with the turnover of cytochrome b calculated from the extent of cytochrome b-245 reduction under aerobic conditions. Addition of diphenyleneiodonium abolished the reduction of both the FAD and cytochrome b-245 components and inhibited O2-. production. The haem ligand imidazole inhibited O2-. generation and cytochrome b reduction while permitting FAD reduction. These results support the suggestion that the human neutrophil NADPH oxidase has the electron-transport sequence: NADPH----FAD----cytochrome b-245----O2.     

Presence of cytochrome b-245 in NADPH oxidase preparations from human neutrophils

The composition of NADPH oxidase purified by Red Sepharose chromatography of extracts from human neutrophil membranes was investigated. In contrast to that was recently reported by others, the enzyme isolated according to this procedure contained a high concentration of cytochrome b-245 and little FAD. The results reinforce the belief that cytochrome b-245 is a major component of the NADPH oxidase and plays a fundamental role in the formation of O2-by neutrophils.     

Mechanism of the superoxide-producing oxidase of neutrophils. O2 is necessary for the fast reduction of cytochrome b-245 by NADPH.

A soluble oxidase from phorbol-stimulated pig neutrophils contained FAD and cytochrome b-245. A typical preparation produced 13.03 mol of superoxide (O2-.) X S-1 X mol of cytochrome b-1 (348 nmol X min-1 X mg of protein-1). In the aerobic steady state, cytochrome b was 8.9% reduced. Steady-state cytochrome b reduction was absent from extracts of unstimulated cells; Km values for NADPH, for O2-. production and cytochrome b reduction were similar. The calculated aerobic rate of cytochrome b reduction was equal to the measured rate of O2-. production in a variety of preparations and in the presence of a range of inhibitors. Under anaerobic conditions the rate was slow: O2 is apparently required for rapid electron flow into the oxidase complex. Cytochrome b is shown to be kinetically competent to act as part of the O2-.-generating complex.     

Role of cytochrome b-559 in arachidonic acid activation of resting human neutrophils

Whether or not cytochrome b-559 is a necessary component of NADPH oxidase activity in neutrophils is still controversial. In highly purified plasma membranes isolated from resting neutrophils and lacking cytochrome b, addition of arachidonic acid induced an NADPH oxidase activity. This activity was similar to that of plasma membranes isolated from phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated cells which possessed cytochrome b. Addition of arachidonic acid to the latter plasma membranes did not alter the oxidase activity. It can be concluded that plasma membranes isolated from resting neutrophils have, in the presence of arachidonic acid, an NADPH oxidase activity similar to that of PMA-stimulated cells, except that it is independent of cytochrome b-559.     

Purification of cytochrome b-245 from human neutrophils.

The low potential cytochrome b (b-245) of the microbicidal oxidase of phagocytic cells has been purified from neutrophils from patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Cells were homogenized in the presence of proteinase inhibitors and centrifuged to remove the cytoplasm. The pellets containing membranes, granules and other organelles (15 mg/ml) were then washed with buffered sodium cholate (5 mg/ml). Residual pellets were subsequently solubilized with the non-ionic detergent Triton N 101 (10 mg/ml) which extracted about 60% of the cytochrome b. About 10% of the cytochrome b was of mitochondrial origin which was removed on a column of n-amino-octyl-Sepharose that did not adsorb cytochrome b-245. Cytochrome b-245 was chromatographed on a column of heparin-agarose and eluted with NaCl to give a peak specific content of 11-16 nmol of cytochrome b-245/mg of protein, representing a 140-200-fold purification with a recovery of 15%. This technique results in the purification of approx. 100-150 nmol of highly purified cytochrome b-245 from (3-5) X 10(11) cells within 4 days. The most purified material gave a broad band with an apparent Mr of between 68 000 and 78 000 on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but gel filtration indicated an aggregated form of the protein in Triton N101 . Purified protein (14 nmol of haem/mg of protein) did not contain FAD or FMN and had no NADPH-dependent O2--generating activity.     

Presence of cytochrome b-558 in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages-subcellular localization and relationship with NADPH oxidase

The assignment of cytochrome b-558 as a component of the O2- (H2O2) -generating enzyme in guinea-pig alveolar macrophages was investigated. Guinea pig alveolar macrophages contained 76 pmol cytochrome b-558/mg protein, a value very similar to that of neutrophils. The rate of myristic acid-stimulated O2- generation by alveolar macrophages, calculated per cytochrome b-558, was only one-fourth that of neutrophils. An analysis of Percoll density gradient centrifugation profiles showed that the H2O2-generating activity of myristic acid-activated alveolar macrophages was concentrated in a single peak which was consistently associated with 5'-nucleotidase activity, a plasma membrane marker enzyme. A little H2O2-generating activity was seen with unactivated alveolar macrophages. Furthermore, the cytochrome b-558 of both myristic acid-activated and unactivated alveolar macrophages was also predominantly associated with 5'-nucleotidase activity and was found in trace amounts in a peak containing lysozyme activity, a marker of lysosome granules. Only about 6% of the cytochrome b-558 in plasma membranes from myristic acid-activated guinea-pig alveolar macrophages was anaerobically reduced by 0.5 mM NADPH, while under the same conditions about 30% of the heme protein of myristic acid-activated neutrophils was reduced. These results suggest two conclusions: firstly, that in both activated and unactivated alveolar macrophages, cytochrome b-558 is located in the plasma membrane, and the translocation of cytochrome b-558 does not occur during the activation of NADPH oxidase; and secondly, that a smaller part of cytochrome b-558 is associated with the activated NADPH oxidase of guinea pig alveolar macrophages compared with neutrophils.     

Composition of partially purified NADPH oxidase from pig neutrophils.

The superoxide (O2.-)-forming enzyme NADPH oxidase from pig neutrophils was solubilized and partially purified by gel-filtration chromatography. The purification procedure allowed the separation of NADPH oxidase activity from NADH-dependent cytochrome c reductase and 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol reductase activities. O2.-forming activity was co-purified with cytochrome b-245 and was associated with phospholipids. However, active fractions endowed with cytochrome b were devoid of ubiquinone and contained only little FAD. The cytochrome b/FAD ratio was 1.13:1 in the crude solubilized extract and increased to 18.95:1 in the partially purified preparations. Most of FAD was associated with fractions containing NADH-dependent oxidoreductases. These results are consistent with the postulated role of cytochrome b in O2.-formation by neutrophil NADPH oxidase, but raise doubts about the participation of flavoproteins in this enzyme activity.     

Kinetic studies of the reduction of neutrophil cytochrome b-558 by dithionite.

The reduction with dithionite of neutrophil cytochrome b-558, implicated in superoxide generation by activated neutrophils, was investigated by a stopped-flow technique in non-ionic-detergent extracts of the membranes and in crude membrane particles. The dependence of the pseudo-first-order rate constants on the concentration of dithionite was consistent with a mechanism of reduction that involves the dithionite anion monomer SO2.- as the reactive species. The estimated second-order rate constant was 7.8 X 10(6) M-1 X S-1 for Lubrol PX-solubilized cytochrome b-558 and 5.1 X 10(6) M-1 X S-1 for the membrane-bound protein. The similarity of the kinetic constants suggests that solubilization did not introduce gross changes in the reactive site. Imidazole and p-chloromercuribenzoate, known as inhibitors of NADPH oxidase, did not affect significantly cytochrome b-558 reduction rates. The reaction rate of cytochrome b-558 with dithionite exhibited a near-zero activation energy. The first-order rate constant for reduction decreased with increasing ionic strength, indicating a positive effective charge on the reacting protein.     

Studies of cytochrome b-245 translocation in the PMA stimulation of the human neutrophil NADPH-oxidase

The human neutrophil respiratory burst, activated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), results from specific receptor-ligand binding and activation of the NADPH-oxidase in the plasma membrane. The role of granule membrane constituents has been elucidated with neutrophils disrupted by nitrogen cavitation and then fractionated in Percoll gradients to resolve four postnuclear fractions: cytoplasm, light membranes or gamma fraction (site of the NADPH-oxidase), a light granule (beta) fraction containing putative constituents of the NADPH-oxidase (cytochrome b-245 and an associated flavoprotein), and a fraction of heavy granules. Cytochrome b-245 is localized to two pools of specific granules within the beta fraction as assessed by differing sedimentation in narrow Percoll gradients and translocates upon PMA-stimulation from one of these specific granule sub-pools to the plasma membrane where it exhibits no change in its midpoint redox potential. Translocation of cytochrome b-245 parallels O2-production initiated by PMA stimulation as assessed in the time course of each activity. The finding of increased amounts of the b cytochrome in cytoplast membranes relative to plasma membranes of unstimulated cells suggests that the cytoplasts, devoid of granules yet capable of O2-generation upon PMA-stimulation, are useful in assessing post-translocation events in the activation pathway of the NADPH-oxidase. These data support the hypothesis that translocation of NADPH-oxidase components from an intracellular granular pool contributes to respiratory burst expression.     

Properties of the superoxide-generating oxidase of B-lymphocyte cell lines. Determination of Michaelis parameters.

The capacity of three B-lymphocyte cell lines to generate superoxide (O2.-) was examined. The Burkitt lymphoma lines P.3HR-1 and Jijoye gave no response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) at 100 ng/ml but produced up to 0.35 nmol of O2.-/min per mg of protein when stimulated with 5 micrograms of PMA/ml; the cell line RPMI 1788 produced Nitro Blue Tetrazolium-positive responses to low PMA concentrations and approx. 0.4 nmol of O2.-/min per mg of protein at 5 micrograms of PMA/ml. Each cell line contained approx. 10 pmol of low-potential cytochrome b (cytochrome b-245)/mg of protein. Homogenates of PMA-activated cells gave 10-20-fold greater rates of O2.- produced per mg of protein. The Km for NADPH varied between approx. 250 microM for P3.HR-1 and RPMI 1788 cell lines and 30.5 +/- 6.5 microM for the Jijoye cell line; the Km values for NADH were higher. Determination of intracellular NADPH concentration showed that this might limit the rate of O2.- production since in each cell line it was at or below the Km concentration.     

Cytochrome b-245 of neutrophils is also present in human monocytes, macrophages and eosinophils.

A cytochrome b with a midpoint oxidation-reduction potential of -245mV (cytochrome b-245) that is a major component of the microbicidal oxidase system of human neutrophil leucocytes has been identified in human eosinophils, monocytes and macrophages at concentrations similar to that found in human neutrophils. It was absent from a variety of other cells. This cytochrome is present in phagocytic leucocytes and probably plays an important part in the specialized activities of these cells.     

Changes in the subcellular distribution of the cytochrome b-245 on stimulation of human neutrophils.

Cytochrome b-245 of neutrophils has a bimodal distribution in sucrose density gradients. The lighter component (d = 1.14) is shown to be associated with the plasma membrane by the similarity between its density and that of markers of this organelle, as well as a parallel increase in the density of the cytochrome and plasma membrane after treatment with digitonin or dimethyl suberimidate. The cytochrome b-245 of monocytes and cytoplasts, the latter produced by the removal of nuclei and granules from neutrophils, was located only in the plasma membrane. The denser peak of cytochrome (d = 1.19), which contained approximately half of the cytochrome b of neutrophils, had a similar density-distribution profile to the specific granules. After hypo-osmotic disruption of this denser material, the cytochrome distributed with the density of membranes, suggesting an original location within the membrane of the intracellular structure. Redistribution of the cytochrome from the granules to the membranes was observed after stimulation of respiratory activity with soluble agents or opsonized particles. This translocation is not responsible for activation of the oxidase system. There was poor agreement between the kinetics of the transfer of cytochromes from the dense component to the membranes, and degranulation of specific-granule contents, suggesting that the cytochrome may be located in another intracellular structure or that its localization becomes further modified after granule fusion.     

Studies on the NADPH oxidation by subcellular particles from phagocytosing polymorphonuclear leucocytes: evidence for the involvement of three mechanisms

1. The NADPH-oxidizing activity of a 100 000 X g particulate fraction of the postnuclear supernatant obtained frm guinea-pig phagocytosing poymorphonuclear leucocytes has been assayed by simultaneous determination of oxygen consumption, NADPH oxidation and O2- generation at pH 5.5 and 7.0 and with 0.15 mM and 1 mM NADPH. 2. The measurements of oxygen consumption and NADPH oxidation gave comparable results. The stoichiometry between the oxygen consumed and the NADPH oxidized was 1:1. 3. A markedly lower enzymatic activity was observed, under all the experimental conditions used, when the O2- generation assay was employed as compared to the assays of oxygen uptake and NADPH oxidation. 4. The explanation of this difference came from the analysis of the effect of superoxide dismutase and of cytochrome c which removes O2- formed during the oxidation of NADPH. 5. Both superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c inhibited the NADPH-oxidizing reactin at pH 5.5. The inhibition was higher with 1 mM NADPH than with 0.15 mM NADPH. 6. Both superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c inhibited the NADPH-oxidizing reaction at pH 7.0 with 1 mM NADPH but less than at pH 5.5 with 1 mM NADPH. 7. The effect of superoxide dismutase at pH 7.0 with 0.15 mM NADPH was negligible. 8. In all instances the inhibitory effect of cytochrome c was greater than that of superoxide dismutase. 9. It was concluded that the NADPH-oxidizing reaction studied here is made up of three components: an enzymatic univalent reduction of O2; an enzymatic, apparently non-univalent, O2 reduction and a non-enzymatic chain reaction. 10. These three components are variably and independently affected by the experimental conditions used. For example, the chain reaction is freely operative at pH 5.5 with 1 mM NADPH but is almost absent at pH 7.0 with 0.15 mM NADPH, whereas the univalent reduction of O2 is optimal at pH 7.0 with 1 mM NADPH.     

Localization of the 47 kDa phosphoprotein involved in the respiratory-burst NADPH oxidase of phagocytic cells.

A 47 kDa phosphoprotein is involved in the respiratory-burst oxidase of phagocytic cells. After stimulation of neutrophils with phorbol myristate acetate, this phosphoprotein was identified in both the cytosol and membranes. Peptide mapping of the two forms resulted in identical patterns of phosphopeptides. Dose-response curves for accumulation of phosphoprotein in the two sites were very similar, whereas the detection of the phosphoprotein in the cytosol preceded that in the membranes. The membrane-associated 47 kDa phosphoprotein was absent from the neutrophils of patients with X-chromosome-linked chronic granulomatous disease, which lack cytochrome b-245, and intermediate levels were detected in the membranes of their heterozygote carrier mothers. Activation of the neutrophil oxidase system appears to be dependent upon phosphorylation of the cytosolic 47 kDa protein and its association with cytochrome b-245 in the membranes. It is probably the cytosolic factor required for reconstitution of the active oxidase in cell-free systems.     

A cell-free preparation of human neutrophils catalyzing NADPH-dependent conversion of leukotriene B4

The sonicate of human neutrophils converted leukotriene B4 to a polar product in aerobic condition in the presence of NADPH at a rate comparable to that of the intact cells. NADH could scarcely replace NADPH. The conversion was not observed in anaerobic conditions and was inhibited by carbon monoxide (CO/O2 = 4/1) or by 1 mM p-chlormercuribenzoate, while it was not affected by 1 mM KCN, 5 mM NaN3, 200 micrograms/ml catalase, 100 mM mannitol, and 10 micrograms/ml superoxide dismutase. These observations suggest that the myeloperoxidase-H2O2-halide system and active oxygen species are not involved in the reaction. The activity was observed in the 100,000xg supernatant from the homogenate, in which cytochrome P-450 was not detected.     

Studies on the NADPH oxidation by subcellular particles from phagocytosing polymorphonuclear leucocytes. Evidence for the involvement of three mechanisms

1. The NADPH-oxidizing activity of a 100 000 × g particulate fraction of the postnuclear supernatant obtained from guinea-pig phagocytosing polymorphonuclear leucocytes has been assayed by simultaneous determination of oxygen consumption, NADPH oxidation and O^?₂ generation at pH 5.5 and 7.0 and with 0.15 mM and 1 mM NADPH.2. The measurements of oxygen consumption and NADPH oxidation gave comparable results. The stoichiometry between the oxygen consumed and the NADPH oxidized was 1 : 1.3. A markedly lower enzymatic activity was observed, under all the experimental conditions used, when the O^?₂ generation assay was employed as compared to the assays of oxygen uptake and NADPH oxidation.4. The explanation of this difference came from the analysis of the effect of superoxide dismutase and of cytochrome c which removes O^?₂ formed during the oxidation of NADPH.5. Both superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c inhibited the NADPH-oxidizing reaction at pH 5.5. The inhibition was higher with 1 mM NADPH than with 0.15 mM NADPH.6. Both superoxide dismutase and cytochrome c inhibited the NADPH-oxidizing reaction at pH 7.0 with 1 mM NADPH but less than at pH 5.5 with 1 mM NADPH.7. The effect of superoxide dismutase at pH 7.0 with 0.15 mM NADPH was negligible.8. In all instances the inhibitory effect of cytochrome c was greater than that of superoxide dismutase.9. It was concluded that the NADPH-oxidizing reaction studied here is made up of three components: an enzymatic univalent reduction of O₂; an enzymatic, apparently non-univalent, O₂ reduction and a non-enzymatic chain reaction.10. These three components are variably and independently affected by the experimental conditions used. For example, the chain reaction is freely operative at pH 5.5 with 1 mM NADPH but is almost absent at pH 7.0 with 0.15 mM NADPH, whereas the univalent reduction of O₂ is optimal at pH 7.0 with 1 mM NADPH.     

Kinetics of flavin semiquinone reduction of the components of the cytochrome c-cytochrome b5 complex

The kinetics of flavin semiquinone reduction of the components of the 1:1 complex formed by cytochrome c with either cytochrome b5 or a derivative of cytochrome b5 in which the heme propionates are esterified (DME-cytochrome b5) have been studied. The rate constant for the reduction of horse heart cytochrome c by the electrostatically neutral lumiflavin semiquinone (LfH) is unaffected by complexation with native cytochrome b5 at pH 7. However, complex formation with DME-cytochrome b5 (pH 7) decreases by 35% the rate constant for cytochrome c reduction by LfH. At pH 8, complex formation with native cytochrome b5 decreases the rate constant for cytochrome c reduction by LfH markedly, whereas the rate constant for cytochrome c reduction, either unbound or in the complex formed with DME-cytochrome b5, is increased 2-fold relative to pH 7. These results indicate that the accessibility of the cytochrome c heme is not the same in the complexes formed with the two cytochrome b5 derivatives and that the docking geometry of the complex formed by the two native cytochromes is pH dependent. Binding of horse heart and tuna cytochromes c to native and DME-cytochromes b5 decreases the rate constants for reduction of cytochrome c by the negatively charged flavin mononucleotide semiquinone (FMNH) by approximately 30% and approximately 40%, respectively. This finding is attributed to substantial neutralization of the positive electrostatic potential surface of cytochrome c that occurs when it binds to either form of cytochrome b5.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)