CHEMILUMINESCENCE INDUCED BY OXIDATION OF TRYPTOPHAN BY SINGLET OXYGEN AND BY HYPOCHLOROUS ACID. IMPLICATIONS IN THE LUMINESCENCE EMITTED IN PHAGOCYTOSIS

Abstract

Abstract— The mechanism of the chemiluminescence emitted during phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan was investigated. The use of an artificial system generating singlet oxygen permitted the distinction between the respective roles of O 2 and HOCl in the light production via the reactions with opsonized zymosan, amino‐acids and peptides. The reaction of free hypochlorous acid, produced by the myeloperoxidase H 2 O 2 ‐Cl‐ system, with free tryptophan appears to be a likely path for the production of chemiluminescence. Implications for the mechanism of in vivo chemiluminescence during phagocytosis are considered.