Role of myeloperoxidase in luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes

When polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and soluble or particulate matter interact, the cells produce chemiluminescence, linked to activation of the oxidative metabolism of the cells. PMNL isolated from a patient with a myeloperoxidase deficiency were found to produce almost no luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, despite a pronounced production of superoxide anions (O2-). The chemotactic peptide formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine induced a two-peak chemiluminescence response in control PMNL. The response was modified, both in magnitude and in time-course, when the cells were incubated at 22 degrees C for 120 min. Addition of purified myeloperoxidase to the PMNL lacking this enzyme, before stimulus addition, resulted in a chemiluminescence response. In the response to formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, only one peak, corresponding to the initial peak of control PMNL, was found. This indicated that luminol-dependent chemiluminescence is dependent on and directly related to the presence of myeloperoxidase in PMNL and that both intra- and extracellularly located myeloperoxidase has to be taken into account when interpreting the cellular response assayed as chemiluminescence.