Correlation between neutrophil superoxide formation, luminol-augmented chemiluminescence and intracellular Ca2+ levels upon stimulation with leukotriene B4, formylpeptide and phorbolester.

When neutrophils were stimulated with leukotriene B4 (LTB4) .O2- -production and elevation of intracellular Ca2+ were initiated more rapidly than after stimulation with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induced a substantially more protracted superoxide (.O-2) production. Luminol augmented chemiluminescence (LCL) reflected the kinetic characteristics accurately. The primary distinguishing attribute of LTB4-induced responses were an initial high rate of activation and a rapid termination. Thus, LTB4-induced neutrophil Ca2+-inflow and .O2- -formation may be initiated by mechanisms similar in part to those for formylpeptides; however it does not possess the ability to maintain this activation. The kinetic properties of neutrophil activation may be studied with LCL, irrespective of the exact nature of the LCL-generating oxidants formed by neutrophils.