The biochemical basis of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in normal human and chronic granulomatous disease polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Abstract

Normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) placed in anaerobic chambers reaching pO2's of less than 5 mm Hg fail to generate O2-, iodinate ingested particles, and stimulate glucose-1-14C oxidation through the hexose monophosphate shunt. The observation that anaerobic cells are incapable of generating O2- or reducing nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) to formazan supports the idea that NBT reduction in phagocytizing PMN is due exclusively to oxygen-dependent O2- generating oxidase which is deficient in chronic granulomatous disease leukocytes, despite their hyperphagocytic capacity.