Inhibition of neutrophil superoxide anion generation by platelet products: role of adenine nucleotides.

Previously, we demonstrated the stimulus-specific ability of platelet lysate or release products to inhibit neutrophil functions in response to f-met-leu-phe (fMLP) or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). The present study further characterizes these activities and identifies one of the platelet inhibitors of neutrophil superoxide anion (O2-) generation. Sephadex G-200 chromatography revealed two fMLP-specific inhibitory activities in platelet lysate. One component eluted with materials less than 13 kilodaltons (kD) molecular weight, whereas the second fractionated at the void volume (Mr greater than 200 kD). PMA-specific inhibitor(s) cofractionated at the void volume with the lysate's fMLP-inhibitory activity. Release products of activated platelets contained low-molecular-weight (less than 13 kD), fMLP-specific inhibitor activity but failed to demonstrate PMA-specific inhibition of neutrophil O2- generation. Biochemical characterization identified two distinct high-molecular-weight inhibitors in platelet lysate. Pretreatment with adenosine deaminase (ADA) completely abrogated the maximum inhibitory effect (43.8 +/- 7.5%) of the high-molecular-weight, fMLP-specific lysate component but failed to reduce maximum PMA-specific inhibition (93.0 +/- 2.0%) of neutrophil O2- generation. Likewise, while the lysate's fMLP-specific inhibitor was heat stable, heating reduced the PMA-specific inhibition 56.5 +/- 10.4%. Equal sensitivity to ADA, resistance to trypsin, and heat stability were demonstrated by the low-molecular-weight inhibitor(s) in platelet lysate and release products. Neither high- nor low-molecular-weight platelet inhibitors scavenged O2-. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the low-molecular-weight inhibitory activity from both platelet lysate and release products revealed physiological levels of adenine nucleotides. Addition of pure adenine nucleotides at physiological levels (1-10 microM) mimicked the effectiveness of the platelet inhibitor. We conclude that stimulus-specific limitation of neutrophil O2- generation by platelet adenine nucleotides may represent a mechanism for reducing inadvertent tissue damage during inflammation.