ACTIVATION OF NADPH-OXIDASE AND ITS ASSOCIATED WHOLE-CELL H+ CURRENT IN HUMAN NEUTROPHILS BY RECOMBINANT HUMAN TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA AND FORMYL-METHIONYL-LEUCYL-PHENYLALANINE

Proton accumulation and efflux associated specifically with NADPH oxidation in neutrophils remains to be elucidated. Using confocal fluorescence and patch-clamp recordings from single human neutrophils, in the presence of protein kinase C inhibitors, we studied the transient cytosolic acidification and whole cell H+ current induced by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha (rhTNF alpha). Intracellular pH changes mere monitored utilizing the ratiometric imaging of the dual emission fluoroprobe, carboxyseminaphthorhodafluor-1, AM acetate. Bath application of 1000 units/ml rhTNF alpha or 0.1 mu M fMLP changed the fluorescence of fluoroprobe-loaded cells, indicating generation of cytosolic H+ ions. In the absence of Ca2+ in the pipette solution, exposure of cells to rhTNF alpha or fMLP for 10 s activated voltage dependent HC currents. From tail current analysis, the threshold voltage for H+ current activation was approximate to -50 mV. These fMLP- or rhTNF alpha-activated voltage-dependent H+ currents were augmented further in the presence of 0.1 mM of NADPH in the pipette solution, and they were inhibited by bath application of 50 mu M of apocynin, an NADPH oxidase inhibitor. These results indicate that rhTNF alpha- or fMLP-induced NADPH oxidase in human neutrophils gives rise to the activation of voltage-dependent H+ currents.