Superoxide release and intracellular free calcium of calcium-depleted human neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

The superoxide release and the change in the intracellular free calcium ions on stimulation with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were studied in human neutrophils deprived of divalent cations by treatment of the cells with ionophore A23187 in the presence of EGTA. The depleted cells showed no release of superoxide on stimulation with the chemotactic peptide when calcium ions were absent in the medium, but the activity was completely recovered when the cells were preincubated with calcium for at least 3 min before the stimulation. The cells pretreated with Cd2+ showed slight activity of the release, but no recovery was observed with other divalent cations such as Mg2+, Sr2+, Co2+, Ba2+ and Zn2+. The recovery with calcium ions was dependent on the time of the addition relative to the time of the stimulation with the chemotactic peptide: a simultaneous addition of both calcium and the peptide elicited about half of the full activity, while no release was observed when calcium was added later than 2 min after the stimulation with the peptide, though a marked elevation of the intracellular free calcium monitored by quin-2 fluorescence was found. Comparison of the time-courses of the superoxide release and the change in the fluorescence suggest that, besides the elevation of intracellular free calcium, a transient reaction which is also dependent on calcium is required for the full induction of the superoxide-producing activity.     

Pertussis toxin inhibits intracellular pH changes in human neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

Changes of intracellular pH in human neutrophils were monitored by 9-aminoacridine fluorescence. Both initial acidification and subsequent alkalinization phases induced by a chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were dependent on the extracellular Ca2+-concentrations, and a calcium ionophore, A-23187 similarly induced the pH-changes. Pertussis toxin inhibited the pH-changes induced by the peptide while cholera toxin did not. The pH-changes induced by A-23187 were not affected by the toxins. The results suggest that the inhibitory guanine-nucleotide regulatory protein and Ca2+ are involved in the pH-changes induced by the peptide.     

Quantitative contribution of the acid production to the intracellular acidification in human neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

A chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP), induced an acidification of cytosol by about 0.05 pH units in 30 sec followed by an alkalinization in human neutrophils. The quantitative contribution of acid production to the acidification was studied. The superoxide (O₂ ^–) production stimulated by fMLP was not involved in the acidification because the production of acids in neutrophils from patients with chronic granulomatous disease who do not produce O₂ ^–, was the same as that in normal neutrophils. The intracellular acidification was completely inhibited by deoxyglucose, suggesting that energy metabolism enhanced upon stimulation by fMLP might be the main source of the acidification. Although enhancement of the lactate formation by fMLP was 0.8 nmol/10⁶ cells, which could lower intracellular pH by 0.08 pH units, the lactate production could not explain the initial acidification because the production of lactate started at 1 min after the stimulation while the intracellular acidification began immediately after the stimulation. Mitochondrial respiratory inhibitors such as KCN and rotenone had no effects on the fMLP-induced intracellular acidification. The fMLP-induced production of CO₂ in 30 sec through the hexose monophosphate shunt was only 2.6 pmol/10⁶ cells, which was calculated to decrease intracellular pH by only 0.0014. Thus, changes of energy metabolism induced by fMLP does not explain the acidification.Abbreviations fMLP N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine - BCECF-AM 2,7-bis(carboxyethyl)carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester - PMA phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate - CGD chronic granulomatous disease - HMP hexose monophosphate - pHi intracellular pH     

An inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase enhances the superoxide production of human neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

Intact human neutrophils produced superoxide (O₂ ^–) by the stimulation with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) even when the extracellular Ca²⁺ was absent (0.56±0.13 nmol/min per 10⁶ cells). The production by fMLP was enhanced more than twice in the presence of the extracellular Ca²⁺. Moreover, the O₂ ^– production by fMLP in the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺ was enhanced nearly three times by the treatment of cells with H-89, an inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). The enhancement was not observed when the extracellular Ca²⁺ was depleted from the reaction mixture. In addition, H-89 did not enhance fMLP-induced O₂ ^– production of electropermeabilized neutrophils in which the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration was fixed to about 100 nM. These observations suggest that not only Ca²⁺ influx but the inhibition of PKA is necessary for the maximum O₂ ^– production by fMLP and that the O₂ ^– production is partially suppressed by the activation of PKA induced by fMLP.     

Protein-tyrosine phosphorylations induced by concanavalin A and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine in human neutrophils.

The ability of the lectin concanavalin A (ConA) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLF) to induce protein-tyrosine phosphorylation in human neutrophils was examined by immunoblot analysis. ConA caused an increase in tyrosine phosphorylation of protein bands with apparent molecular masses of 120, 80, 76, 66 and 40 kDa; on the other hand, fMLF caused an increase in those of only 80-kDa and 40-kDa proteins. These protein-tyrosine phosphorylations were time- and dose-dependent. The tyrosine phosphorylation of 40-kDa protein induced by fMLF was suppressed but that by ConA was not suppressed by pertussis toxin pretreatment. At the same time, pertussis toxin pretreatment also inhibited lysozyme release and aggregation of neutrophils induced by fMLF but did not inhibit those responses induced by ConA. These results suggest that the tyrosine phosphorylation of 40-kDa protein may be involved in a part of neutrophil activation and be regulated via pleiotropic signal transduction pathways. In addition, immunoblot analysis employing antibodies against microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) kinase suggested that this tyrosine-phosphorylated 40-kDa protein might be the MAP2 kinase.     

Endothelin-1 enhances superoxide generation of human neutrophils stimulated by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) by itself was not an effective stimulus for inducing the superoxide (O2-) generation of human neutrophils, but it enhanced the O2- generation stimulated by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) about 2-fold when the cells had been preincubated with ET-1 for 10 min at 37 degrees C. The concentration at which ET-1 was 50% effective was 1 x 10(-10) M, and the maximal effect was obtained at 1 x 10(-8) M. The enhancement was observed over the range of the effective concentrations of FMLP (10(-8)-10(-6) M). ET-1 did not promote the mobilization of intracellular calcium ions and the enhancing effect of ET-1 did not change when calcium ions were depleted. These findings indicate that ET-1 is a potent modulator of human neutrophils and may thus contribute to the inflammatory process.     

Diacylglycerol accumulation and superoxide anion production in stimulated human neutrophils

Exogenous diacylglycerols stimulate neutrophil superoxide anion production, suggesting that endogenous diacylglycerols may function as second messengers for this biological response. We have measured the diacylglycerol mass in human neutrophils stimulated by fMet-Leu-Phe, ionomycin, and concanavalin A and have correlated the kinetics and magnitude of the diacylglycerol response with those for superoxide anion production. For each stimulus, no increase in diacylglycerol mass was detected prior to the onset of superoxide anion generation. However, large sustained increases in diacylglycerol concentration (260-2000% of basal levels) occurred in parallel with the rise in superoxide anion. The cessation or continuation of diacylglycerol accumulation and superoxide anion production also correlated. The diacylglycerol response was proportional to the stimulus concentration and correlated with the concentration dependence for superoxide anion. Pretreatment of neutrophils with cytochalasin B enhanced both superoxide anion and diacylglycerol responses with all three stimuli. These data support the hypothesis that diacylglycerol functions as a modulator of superoxide anion generation causing a sustained or augmented respiratory burst.     

Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate activates rabbit neutrophils without an apparent rise in the level of intracellular free calcium

The addition of low concentrations of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to rabbit neutrophils induces cell aggregation, degranulation, increased oxygen consumption and an increase in the amount of actin associated with the cytoskeleton without a rise in the level of intracellular free calcium as measured using the fluorescent probe quin-2. The ability of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to initiate neutrophil responses similar to those produced by the chemotactic factor without causing a rise in the level of intracellular free calcium suggests two possibilities; that there is a second messenger in addition to calcium or that it activates the cells at a point distal to calcium mobilization. The possible role of diacylglycerol in neutrophil activation is discussed.     

Effect of the calcium ionophore A23187 on superoxide generation in phorbol ester stimulated human neutrophils

The calcium ionophore, A23187, and the tumor-promoting phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), interacted synergistically to elicit an accelerated superoxide production response in human neutrophils. The lag period preceding PMA-induced superoxide generation was decreased in a dose-dependent manner by A23187 at a concentration range from 1.0 X 10(-8) to 1.0 X 10(-5) M. Superoxide production rate, however, was subject to biphasic effects. While the rate was potentiated in a dose-dependent manner at A23187 concentrations below 1.0 X 10(-6) M, inhibitory influences became manifest at higher concentrations. Total superoxide production was subject to inhibitory effects, characterized by a mean inhibitory dose of 1.3 X 10(-6) M. The synergistic interaction of A23187 with PMA is consistent with a role for protein kinase C in neutrophil activation. Inhibition at high A23187 concentrations appeared to result from the effects of elevated intracellular Ca2+ levels on either NADPH oxidase itself, or some step in the transduction process linking protein kinase C to the oxidase complex.     

Inhibition by reactive aldehydes of superoxide anion radical production in stimulated human neutrophils

alpha,beta-Unsaturated aldehydes were investigated in vitro for their ability to inhibit superoxide anion radical (O2-.) production in stimulated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). The aldehydes investigated were (i) trans-4-hydroxynonenal and malonaldehyde (MDA), two toxic lipid peroxidation products; (ii) acrolein and crotonaldehyde, two air pollutants derived from fossil fuel combustion; (iii) trans,trans-muconaldehyde, a putative hematotoxic benzene metabolite. Preincubation of PMN with reactive aldehydes followed by stimulation with the oxygen burst initiator phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of O2-. production. The concentration at which 50% inhibition (IC50) was observed was 21 microM for acrolein, 23 microM for trans,trans-muconaldehyde, 27 microM for trans-4-hydroxynonenal and 330 microM for crotonaldehyde. A similar inhibitory effect by these aldehydes was observed in digitonin- and concanavalin A-stimulated PMN. MDA inhibited O2-. production in PMA-stimulated PMN by 100% at 10(-2) M but gave no inhibition at 10(-3) M. The standard aldehyde propionaldehyde did not inhibit O2-. production at 10(-3)-10(-6) M. Preincubation of PMN with acrolein in the presence of cysteine completely protected against the inhibitory effect of this reactive aldehyde. The results indicate that the ability of toxic aldehydes to inhibit O2-. production in stimulated PMN correlates directly with their alkylation potential which is a function of the electrophilicity of the beta carbon.     

Effect of lithium on superoxide production and intracellular free calcium mobilization in elastin peptide (kappa-elastin) and FMLP stimulated human pmns. Effect of age

The effect of lithium pretreatment on superoxide anion production and intracellular free calcium levels was investigated in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from middle-aged and old individuals after stimulation by elastin peptides or FMLP. K-elastin (KE) significantly stimulated the production of superoxide anion by PMNs from middle-aged subjects, while this stimulation decreased with age and was absent in PMNs of elderly arteriosclerotic patients. Li pretreatment slightly increased this stimulating effect of KE in PMNs from middle-aged subjects and elderly arteriosclerotic patiens, while slightly decreased in healthy elderly subjects. Moreover, Li was able to increase Superoxide anion production even in the absence of KE, but this effect decreased also in PMNs of healthy and arteriosclerotic elderly patients. FMLP significantly increased superoxide anion production in all age-groups, but this effect was further amplified by Li only in PMNs of middle-aged subjects. In aged individuals Li pretreatment slightly decreased the effect of FMLP and had no effect in arteriosclerotic patients. Ca-mobilization induced by KE was inhibited by Li pretreatement in each age group. This inhibition by Li was much weaker in FMLP-stimulated PMNs. Li pretreatment did however modify the shape of the Ca-transient curves in FMLP stimulated leukocytes suggesting a qualitative modification of ion channel regulation. No such shape change of Ca-transient curves was observed after KE stimulation of Li pretreated PMNs. It appears that the regulation of these two receptors is differently affected by Li treatement.     

Signal transduction events and Fc gamma R engagement in human neutrophils stimulated with immune complexes.

Signal transduction events have been evaluated in human neutrophils stimulated with immune complexes consisting of polyclonal rabbit antibody complexed with BSA. Immune complexes induced dose-related O2- responses, but very small increases in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) levels were observed, in contrast to FMLP-stimulated cells. Measurements employing [45Ca2+] demonstrated that calcium influx and efflux in cells stimulated with immune complexes was substantially less than fluxes found in FMLP-stimulated cells. With respect to inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) formation under conditions in which the O2- responses to immune complexes or FMLP were similar, the Ins(1,4,5)P3 response to immune complexes was much smaller (by 65%) as compared to that induced by FMLP. Although pertussis toxin-treated cells showed a greatly diminished O2- response (by 89%) to FMLP, the response to immune complexes was largely resistant (only 26% reduction) to the inhibitory effects of this toxin. Antibodies to Fc gamma R indicated that engagement of Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII, but not Fc gamma RI, receptors was related to the O2- response of neutrophils to immune complexes. O2- formation occurred in neutrophils incubated with Staphylococcus aureus cell walls bearing antibodies to Fc gamma RII or Fc gamma RIII. These data indicate that, in human neutrophils stimulated with immune complexes, signal transduction events involve engagement of Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII. The O2- response is largely pertussis-toxin insensitive, is not associated with a significant increase in levels of [Ca2+]i, and is associated with relatively little formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3. This is in contrast to cells stimulated with FMLP in which O2- responses are largely pertussis toxin-sensitive and associated with large increases in [Ca2+]i as well as formation of Ins(1,4,5)P3. Signal transduction events involving Fc gamma R appear to be quite different from those events related to engagement of FMLP receptors.     

Involvement of calcium, calmodulin and phospholipase A in the alteration of membrane dynamics and superoxide production of human neutrophils stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate

We have reported an increased fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in the phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated plasma membrane of human neutrophils [FEBS Lett. (1982) 144, 199–203]. We now present evidence that both the increased fluorescence polarization and the production of super-oxide radicals by human neutrophils require calcium, calmodulin and phospholipase activity.     

Origin of intracellular calcium and quantitation of mobilizable calcium in neutrophils stimulated with chemotactic peptide

The origin and amount of mobilized Ca2+ in chemotactic peptide-stimulated guinea pig neutrophils were examined using biochemical techniques. The total amount of releasable Ca2+ by 20 microM A23187 from the unstimulated intact cells was 0.91 nmol/4 X 10(6) cells, as assessed by change in absorbance of the antipyrylazo III-Ca2+ complex. Two types of internal vesicular Ca2+ pool, mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial pool were identified in the saponin-permeabilized cells. The total amount of releasable Ca2+ was comparable to that accumulated by the non-mitochondrial pool at (1-2) X 10(-7) M of a free Ca2+ concentration. The mitochondrial uncoupler, capable of releasing Ca2+ from the mitochondrial pool, neither modified the basal cytosolic free Ca2+ in quin 2-loaded cells nor caused a Ca2+ efflux from the intact cells. These results suggest that the releasable Ca2+ may be located in the non-mitochondrial pool of unstimulated intact cells, and the mitochondrial pool contains little releasable Ca2+. The addition of fMet-Leu-Phe increased the cytosolic free Ca2+ by two processes: Ca2+ mobilization from internal stores and Ca2+ influx through the surface membrane. The Ca2+ mobilized and effluxed from the intact cells by stimulation with the maximal doses of fMet-Leu-Phe was estimated to be 0.27 nmol/4 X 10(6) cells. Almost equal amounts were released by the maximal doses of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate from the non-mitochondrial pool of saponin-treated cells that had accumulated Ca2+ at a free Ca2+ concentration of 1.4 X 10(-7) M. The mechanism related to the Ca2+ influx by fMet-Leu-Phe stimulation was also examined. The addition of nifedipine or phosphatidic acid did not affect the change in the cytosolic free Ca2+ induced by fMet-Leu-Phe, thereby suggesting that the receptor-mediated Ca2+ channel may be involved in the Ca2+ influx.     

Oleic acid induces intracellular calcium mobilization, MAPK phosphorylation, superoxide production and granule release in bovine neutrophils

Oleic acid (OA) is a nonesterified fatty acid that is released into the blood during lipomobilization at the time of calving in cows, a period where increased risk of infection and acute inflammation is observed. These data suggest potential OA-mediated regulation of innate immune responses. In the present study, we assessed the effects of OA on intracellular calcium release, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, superoxide production, CD11b expression and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) release in bovine neutrophils. Furthermore, the presence of GPR40, an OA receptor, was assessed by RT-PCR, immunoblotting and confocal microscopy. OA induced, in a dose-dependent manner, intracellular calcium mobilization, superoxide production and CD11b expression in bovine neutrophils; these effects were reduced by the intracellular chelating agent BAPTA-AM. OA also induced ERK2 phosphorylation and MMP-9 release. RT-PCR analysis detected mRNA expression of a bovine ortholog of the GPR40 receptor. Using a polyclonal antibody against human GPR40, we detected a protein of 31 kDa by immunoblotting that was localized predominately in the plasma membrane. The selective agonist of GPR40, GW9508, induced intracellular calcium mobilization and ERK2 phosphorylation. In conclusion, OA can modulate bovine neutrophil responses in an intracellular calcium-dependent manner; furthermore, these responses could be induced by GPR40 activation.     

Extracellular ATP triggers superoxide production in human neutrophils

The effects of ATP on the concentration of cytosolic calcium [( Ca2+]i) were examined with respect to early events associated with activation of the superoxide (O2-)-generating system in human neutrophils. Addition of ATP to cytochalasin B-treated neutrophils resulted in two sequential increase in [Ca2+]i: an initial phase presumably related to the mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and a second phase dependent upon the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The second phase was associated with an increase in the rate of O2- production, which also required the presence of extracellular Ca2+. The results suggest that increased Ca2+ influx may act to trigger a cascade of Ca2+-sensitive events, leading to stimulated O2-production.     

Cytosolic calcium,oxygen consumption and the intracellular pH of stimulated neutrophils

The cytoplasmic pH undergoes a biphasic change when neutrophils are activated. The role of Ca²⁺ in initiating these changes was investigated. No correlation was found between the increased cytosolic [Ca²⁺] and the stimulation of the Na⁺/H⁺ antiport. Similarly, the cytoplasmic acidification elicited by activation in Na⁺-free media was found to be unrelated to [Ca²⁺]. Reversal of Na⁺/H⁺ exchange was also ruled out as the source of the acidification. Data using a variety of soluble activators indicate that metabolic acid generation is largely responsible for the observed drop in cytoplasmic pH.     

A transient rise in intracellular free calcium is not a sufficient stimulus for respiratory burst activation in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Binding of murine monoclonal antibody PMN7C3 to human neutrophils results in a large rapid, dose dependent transient increase in intracellular free calcium as measured by QUIN-2 fluorescence. Unlike other calcium mobilizing agents PMN7C3 does not induce any increase in respiratory burst activity over basal level. The PMN7C3 effect requires multivalent binding. Chelation of extracellular calcium does not significantly decrease the fluorescence transient generated by exposure to PMN7C3. Lowering of basal levels of intracellular free calcium concentration by maintaining QUIN-2-loaded PMN in calcium free medium eliminates the fluorescence transient. The observations demonstrate that a cell surface receptor mediated intracellular free calcium transient may be generated without any associated respiratory burst activation.     

Changes in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid in stimulated human neutrophils: Relationship to calcium mobilization,aggregation and superoxide radical generation

Human neutrophils aggregate and release mediators of inflammation, such as active oxygen species and lysosomal enzymes, when exposed to the chemoattractant, fMet-Leu-Phe, or the tumor promotor, phorbol myristate acetate. In order to ‘stage’ events which may lead to such neutrophil responses, we determined the temporal relationship between stimulus-induced changes in the endogenous phospholipids phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidic acid, the mobilization of calcium, and the onset of aggregation and generation of superoxide anion during the initial 2 min of cell activation. Within 5 s after addition of fMet-Leu-Phe (10^?7 M) neutrophils accumulated phosphatidic acid and the levels of PI decreased, as determined by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography and phosphorus determinations. By 5 s, phosphatidic acid levels rose approximately 3.5-fold and at 15 s the loss of PI exceeded the quantity of phosphatidic acid generated. In response to phorbol myristate acetate (1 μg/ml), however, changes in PI or phosphatidic acid were not observed until after 60 s. Accumulation of phosphatidic acid in fMet-Leu-Phe-stimulated cells was not inhibited by chelation of extracellular calcium. Neutrophils exposed to either fMet-Leu-Phe or phorbol myristate acetate also showed rapid decrements in fluorescence of cell-associated chlorotetracycline (used as an indirect probe of mobilization of intracellular membrane-associated calcium) and took up ⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from the extracellular medium (under 60 s). The results indicate that changes in calcium mobilization, together with the alterations in phospholipid metabolism (under 5 s) anteceded aggregation and the generation of O^?₂ (10–15 s) induced by fMet-Leu-Phe. In contrast, when neutrophils were exposed to phorbol myristate acetate, changes in PI and phosphatidic acid (over 60 s) were observed after the mobilization of calcium (under 5 s) and the onset of O^?₂ generation and aggregation (30–35 s).     

Tyrosine phosphorylation and its possible role in superoxide production by human neutrophils stimulated with FMLP and IgG.

Superoxide production by human neutrophils stimulated with FMLP and soluble aggregated human IgG were inhibited in a dose dependent manner by two kinds of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, erbstatin and genistein. Superoxide production stimulated with surface bound IgG, however, was scarcely inhibited by either inhibitor. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation studies with immunoblotting revealed specific tyrosine phosphorylation of a 40 Kd protein by soluble aggregated and surface bound IgG, and that of a 39 Kd protein, as well as the 40 Kd protein, by FMLP. These were all inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors. These data suggest that superoxide production induced by FMLP and soluble aggregated IgG are, at least in part, tyrosine kinase dependent, but the tyrosine kinases and/or substrates of tyrosine kinases involved may be different. In addition, tyrosine kinase independent pathways are also suggested to be involved in superoxide production by stimulation with surface bound IgG.