Internal pH changes associated with the activity of NADPH oxidase of human neutrophils. Further evidence for the presence of an H+ conducting channel.

The internal pH (pHi) of cytoplasts, derived from human neutrophils, falls 0.05 pH units upon activation of the superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase. The decrease in pHi is absent in diphenyleneiodonium-treated cytoplasts and therefore it is likely to arise directly from the activity of the oxidase. The addition of amiloride, to diminish the Na+/H+ exchanger, enhanced the extent of the internal acidification but not the initial rate. However the electroneutral Na+/H+ exchanger cannot be a contributor to H+ efflux to compensate for charge translocated by the oxidase. In the presence of Cd ions or valinomycin, phorbol-induced acidification of the cytosol was greatly increased, suggesting an inability to translocate the cytosolic H+ generated by an electrogenic oxidase. In the presence of both Cd and valinomycin the cytoplasts retained 0.8 H+ per O2-. generated. The rate of acidification of the external medium by stimulated cytoplasts is greatly reduced in the presence of Zn and valinomycin. Our results support the view that the plasma membrane of neutrophils contains Zn2+- or Cd2+-sensitive proton-conducting channels which maintain a stable membrane potential and pHi during the activity of the electrogenic NADPH oxidase.