THE EFFECT OF 2 BISPHOSPHONATES ON HUMAN NEUTROPHIL CHEMILUMINESCENCE AND MYELOPEROXIDASE ACTIVITY

In order to assess the importance of chlorine in a drug molecule as an influence on myeloperoxidase-mediated inflammatory cell functions, the effect of the chlorinated bisphosphonate, clodronate, on human neutrophil chemiluminescence and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was compared to the non-chlorinated structural analogue, etidronate. The results suggested that the presence of chlorine may be important to the enhancement of M PO activity. In addition both drugs manifested low toxicity and both of these observations may have relevance to host defence.