Stimulated Human Phagocytes Produce Cytogenetic Changes in Cultured Mammalian Cells

Abstract

CHRONIC inflammation can be associated with cancer.1 Phagocytes in inflammatory lesions enzymatically reduce oxygen to reactive metabolites, which include Superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals. These reactive species kill microorganisms, damage DNA, and lyse mammalian cells.2 3 4 5 6 Sublethal damage to genetic material in inflamed foci caused by phagocyte-derived oxygen metabolites may be one mechanism by which cancer arises in the presence of inflammation. The observation that human phagocytes are important in this mutagenic process7 8 9 is consistent with this idea, since there is a strong correlation between mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.10 In this paper we report that human phagocytes that are activated . . .