TARGET-CELL LYSIS MEDIATED BY CONCANAVALIN-A-TRIGGERED HUMAN-NEUTROPHILS

Human neutrophils, triggered by concanavalin A, were cytotoxic against chicken red blood cell targets as determined by the 51Cr release method. The cytolysis increased with the effector: target ratio, reaching optimal levels when 2-4 neutrophils were available for each chicken red blood cell. The target cell lysis required an optimal release of highly reactive O2 by-products by neutrophils, since neutrophils from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease failed to exhibit any cytolytic activity. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and inhibitors of heme-containing peroxidases (azide and cyanide) significantly inhibited the neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity. Superoxide anion and the myeloperoxidase-H2O2 system are simultaneously involved in the target cell injury by concanavalin A-triggered neutrophils.