Impaired ability of neutrophils to produce oxygen-derived free radicals in patients with chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

To evaluate whether neutrophil bactericidal function, the ability to produce oxygen-derived free radicals, is altered in patients with chronic liver disease, we measured chemiluminescence amplified by a luciferin analog (Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence) and luminol (luminol-dependent chemiluminescence) in response to N-formyl-Met-Lue-Phe by neutrophils from patients with chronic liver diseases due to C and/or B type hepatitis: chronic active hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Both Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence and luminol-dependent chemiluminescence were significantly decreased in neutrophils from patients with chronic liver disease (hepatocellular carcinoma < cirrhosis < chronic active hepatitis) when they were compared with normal healthy subjects. The reduction of Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence in chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis was more sensitive than Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence; however, in hepatocellular carcinoma, luminol-dependent chemiluminescence was more reduced than luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. Although there were not significant correlations between glutamic pyruvic transaminase and Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence/luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, there were significant negative correlations between total bilirubin and Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence/luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. Furthermore, there were significant positive correlations between albumin/prothrombin time and Cypridina luciferin analog-dependent chemiluminescence/luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. These data suggest that an impaired ability to produce oxygen-derived free radicals may contribute to the susceptibility to infection in patients with chronic liver disease.

• Authors: M Uehara, N Sato
• Journal: Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) (Hepatology) Vol. 20 Issue 2 Pg. 326-30 (Aug 1994) ISSN: 0270-9139 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8045492 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Free Radicals
• Pyrazines
• Serum Albumin
• 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3,7-dihydroimidazo(1,2-a)pyrazin-3-one
• Luminol
• Alanine Transaminase
• Bilirubin
• Oxygen

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Bilirubin (blood)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (blood, immunology)
• Chronic Disease
• Female
• Free Radicals
• Hepatitis, Chronic (immunology)
• Humans
• Liver Cirrhosis (immunology)
• Liver Diseases (blood, immunology)
• Liver Neoplasms (blood, immunology)
• Luminescent Measurements
• Luminol
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neutrophils (immunology, metabolism)
• Oxygen (metabolism)
• Prothrombin Time
• Pyrazines
• Serum Albumin (analysis)