Effect of gentamicin and sisomicin on the generation of superoxide by human monocytes.

The effect of gentamicin and sisomicin on the generation of superoxide anions by human monocytes exposed to a phagocytosing stimulus, i.e. serum treated zymosan, or a soluble stimulus, i.e. 4-beta-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, has been studied. Neither sisomicin nor gentamicin affected the superoxide production by stimulated monocytes. The data suggest that the reported variability in the response to aminoglycoside antibiotic therapy in certain clinical situations cannot be attributed to interference with monocyte oxidative burst.