Leukocyte adenosine triphosphatase activity in human bronchial asthma.

Changes in adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity of the peripheral blood leukocytes were investigated in patients with bronchial asthma. Estimation of the leukocyte Mg++- and Ca++- dependent ATPases was carried out according to Hadden's method, incubating ATP with the membrane fraction of the leukocyte. The leukocyte ATPase activity was significantly elevated among asthmatic patients compared with control subjects. This elevated ATPase was seen in all asthmatics irrespective of acute attacks or the drug treatment. There was no clear correlation between the activity of ATPase and the percentage of leukocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils. There was no relationship between ATPase activity and adenyl cyclase activity of the same leukocytes from asthmatic patients.