Influence of neutrophil cationic proteins on generation of superoxide by human polymorphonuclear cells during phagocytosis.

The cationic proteins from neutrophil lysosomes have been shown to modulate phagocytic activity of granulocytes. The present study reports the effects of the cationic protein fractions on the generation of O2- by human PMNs during phagocytosis. Human PMNs were reacted with different phagocytic stimuli in the presence and absence of lysosomal cationic proteins and the amount of O2- generated was determined by superoxide dismutase inhibitable reduction of cytochrome c. Total cationic protein extract from neutrophil lysosomes enhanced O2- generated by PMNs during the phagocytosis of IgG-coated latex beads and opsonized zymosan particles. The analysis of the fractions of cationic proteins obtained from a Sephadex G-75 column showed that the O2- generation-enhancing activity was associated with the proteins eluted in fractions III and IV. A protein fraction mainly eluted in void volume inhibited the cytochrome c reduction by O2- formed during phagocytosis. This was due to the presence of superoxide dismutase-like activity since O2- generated by the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system was also inhibited by this fraction. The cationic protein fractions III and IV from the Sephadex G-75 column were further subfractionated. Although the O2(-)-enhancing activity was eluted in the same fractions as chymotrypsin activity, there was no quantitative correlation between the amount of O2- generation and chymotrypsin activity. Moreover, commercial chymotrypsin did not enhance O2- generation. Electrophoretic analysis of the isolated protein fractions suggests that O2- generation enhancing protein (SGEP) is different from lysozyme or chymotrypsin and probably represents previously undescribed protein.