Changes in oxygen radical scavenging by human blood cell lysates concurrent with viral infections.

The higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels found in human blood cells when Nitro Blue Tetrazolium (NBT) rather than Cytochrome C was used as the colorimetric detector of superoxide (O-2) was investigated. the NBT was found to react with oxygen radicals other than O-2, thus providing measurement of total oxygen radical scavenging ability. Also investigated was the biomodal distribution of SOD activity in lymphocytes and granulocytes from a randomly selected human populace. Human lymphocytes rapidly increased their SOD activity by two- to four-fold during respiratory viral distress. The response to certain infections was probably responsible for the bimodal distribution of SOD activity in the general populace. It was concluded that the chemical events that prepare lymphocytes and granulocytes for their role in defense against infections begin long before these cells are sequestered from circulation by the infections.