Albumin inhibits human polymorphonuclear leucocyte luminol-dependent chemiluminescence: evidence for oxygen radical scavenging.

Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of normal human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) which were resting, or stimulated by unopsonized latex beads, opsonized zymosan or the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-met-leu-phe was decreased more than 80% in the presence of physiological concentrations of albumin (4%, w/v). This inhibition did not result from impairment of light transmission, cellular toxicity, luminol excited-state quenching or a dialysable contaminant in the albumin preparation, but was reduced by 30% when the fall induced by albumin in extracellular free Ca2+ concentration was corrected. The inhibition was most apparent in the larger second phase of the PMN chemiluminescent response to chemotactic peptide or opsonized zymosan stimulation. The smaller first phase of these responses was in fact enhanced by low concentrations of albumin (0.05-0.5%, w/v) and only inhibited up to 50% by 4% (w/v) albumin. Albumin in the range 0.1-4% (w/v) exerted a similar effect on chemiluminescence resulting from superoxide anion (O-2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production by xanthine oxidase catalysed oxidation of xanthine in the presence of luminol. We suggest that the effect of albumin on PMN luminol-dependent chemiluminescence is mediated by modification of the oxygen radical generating pathway, or oxygen radical scavenging. This previously undocumented property of the major extracellular protein requires further examination if oxygen radicals are to be established as important mediators of inflammation.