Production of the superoxide adduct of myeloperoxidase (compound III) by stimulated human neutrophils and its reactivity with hydrogen peroxide and chloride.

Examination of the spectra of phagocytosing neutrophils and of myeloperoxidase present in the medium of neutrophils stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate has shown that superoxide generated by the cells converts both intravacuolar and exogenous myeloperoxidase into the superoxo-ferric or oxyferrous form (compound III or MPO2). A similar product was observed with myeloperoxidase in the presence of hypoxanthine, xanthine oxidase and Cl-. Both transformations were inhibited by superoxide dismutase. Thus it appears that myeloperoxidase in the neutrophil must function predominantly as this superoxide derivative. MPO2 autoxidized slowly (t 1/2 = 12 min at 25 degrees C) to the ferric enzyme. It did not react directly with H2O2 or Cl-, but did react with compound II (MP2+ X H2O2). MPO2 catalysed hypochlorite formation from H2O2 and Cl- at approximately the same rate as the ferric enzyme, and both reactions showed the same H2O2-dependence. This suggests that MPO2 can enter the main peroxidation pathway, possibly via its reaction with compound II. Both ferric myeloperoxidase and MPO2 showed catalase activity, in the presence or absence of Cl-, which predominated over chlorination at H2O2 concentrations above 200 microM. Thus, although the reaction of neutrophil myeloperoxidase with superoxide does not appear to impair its chlorinating ability, the H2O2 concentration in its environment will determine whether the enzyme acts primarily as a catalase or peroxidase.