Ca2+ ionophores inhibit superoxide generation by chemotactic peptide in rabbit neutrophils and the correlation with intracellular calcium.

Effects of Ca2+ ionophores, A23187 and lasalocid, on superoxide anion generation by chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine methyl ester, in rabbit peritoneal exudate neutrophils were studied. The ionophores by themselves did not activate superoxide anion generation in these neutrophils. When preincubated with the cells for 2 min, both the ionophores inhibited superoxide generation induced by chemotactic peptide. The inhibition was present even in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and the inhibition was better then. Lasalocid produces a dose-dependent chlortetracycline fluorescence decrease response in neutrophils loaded with chlortetracycline. This response is independent of extracellular Ca2+ concentration and is related to release of Ca2+ from intracellular storage sites. The dose-range at which lasalocid gives this response is same as the dose-range at which it causes inhibition of superoxide response. It may be concluded that the inhibition of superoxide generation by these ionophores is correlated to intracellular Ca2+ modulation.