Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in lymphocytes.

Certain populations of lymphocytes have been shown to reduce tetrazolium salts, indicating that superoxide anion may be present in lymphocytes. These experiments were done to determine if nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by lymphocytes was due to the presence of superoxide anion. Mitogen-activated lymphocytes showed increased nitroblue tetrazolium reduction compared to unstimulated cells, and the cells reducing nitroblue tetrazolium were both T-cells and non-T-cells. Release of superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide by either resting or stimulated lymphocytes was not detected. There was no difference between resting and stimulated lymphocytes in the amount of chemiluminescence produced in the presence of lucigenin, an agent which appears to be sensitive to intracellular and extracellular superoxide anion. The results, then, indicate superoxide anion is not present in lymphocytes.