Studies on the activity of phorbol myrystate acetate on the human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Phorbol myrystate acetate (PMA) activates nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in human polymorphs. The activation is inhibited by dibutyryl cyclic AMP, theophylline and phenylbutazone, but is not influenced by hydrocortisone in vitro, nor is it inhibited by leukocytes from patients treated with prednisone. Peptide analogues of Tuftsin also had no effect on this stimulatory activity. We conclude that the action of PMA on the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction is mediated through cyclic nucleotides.