Active oxygen generating system in immune cells
Kanegasaki, S.
Rinsho Byori. Japanese Journal of Clinical Pathology 40(4): 392-396
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0047-1860 PMID: 1317472 Document Number: 404049
Oxygen metabolites, such as O2-, H2O2 and HClO formed during the respiratory burst in phagocytes are known to be essential for killing certain microorganisms. In the initial reaction of the respiratory burst, an electron is transferred from NADPH to molecular oxygen to generate O2-. Other active oxygen species are formed secondarily from O2-. Patients with chronic granulomatous disease, whose phagocytes can not generate O2-, often suffer from recurrent, life-threatening infections. We have demonstrated recently that B lymphocytes but not T lymphocytes (nor NK cells) have an O2- generating system identical or very similar to that in phagocytes. This article deals with the present status of the research on O2- generating system in phagocytes and B lymphocytes.