Effects of neuraminidase on O2 consumption and release of O2 and H2O2 from phagocytosing human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Neuraminidase type X (NMD-type-X, Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, Mo.), which is obtained from a further purification of neuraminidase type V (NMD-type-V, Sigma), markedly enhanced the release of O2- and H2O2 from phagocytosing human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). In contrast, O2 consumption by NMD-type-X-treated PMN was identical to that of untreated PMN. Morphological observations suggested that the enhancement of O2- and H2O2 release was caused by excessive release of the oxygen metabolites into the extracellular medium from incompletely formed phagocytic vacuoles as was observed with cytochalasin-B-treated cells. Our observations are in contrast to the previous reports of Tsan et al. that showed complete inhibition of both O2- and H2O2 release from phagocytosing PMN by the treatment with NMD-type-V.