Enhanced Phagocytic Capacity THE BIOLOGIC BASIS FOR THE ELEVATED HISTOCHEMICAL NITROBLUE TETRAZOLIUM REACTION

Abstract

A B S T R A C T The biologic basis for the elevated histochemical reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium dye (NBT) in neutrophils from patients with acute bacterial infection or polycythemia vera was studied. A precipitin reaction followed mixing NBT with heparin. NBT was reduced after phagocytosis of this complex (H-NBT) by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs).

Neutrophil cytochemistry in bacterial infection.

“…NBT test depends on the phagocytosis of a tetrazolium-heparin/fibrinogen complex (Segal and Levi, 1973) with reduction of the tetrazole marker; it is thus a test of cytoplasmic membrane activation and phagocytosis (McCall et al, 1974). The chloroacetate and acid phosphatase techniques are sensitive to altered permeability of primary, azurophilic lysosomal membranes of unfixed neutrophils in suspension (Wozniak et al, 1978) whereas the alkaline phosphatase score represents cytoplasmic enzyme activity in air-dried, fixed neutrophils whose cell membranes have been fully labilised (Wozniak et al, 1978).…”

Influence of Cardiopulmonary Bypass on Some Host Defence Functions in Man

“…Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction of neutrophilic granulocytes with formation of intracellular deposits of blue formazan was used as a measure of the oxidative metabolism, which is known to increase, namely during phagocytosis (McCall et al, 1974). Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction of neutrophilic granulocytes with formation of intracellular deposits of blue formazan was used as a measure of the oxidative metabolism, which is known to increase, namely during phagocytosis (McCall et al, 1974).…”

“…Defects in the immune system following surgery or trauma, which have previously been described, are: depressed lymphocyte transformation (Cullen & van Belle, 1975), mechanical trauma to leucocytes (Mchtire et al, 1976) and depressed phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) (Kusserov et al, 1975;McCall et al, 1974). Defects in the immune system following surgery or trauma, which have previously been described, are: depressed lymphocyte transformation (Cullen & van Belle, 1975), mechanical trauma to leucocytes (Mchtire et al, 1976) and depressed phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) (Kusserov et al, 1975;McCall et al, 1974).…”

Localized Attachment Loss in Pendred Syndrome: Incidental?

“…Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) slide testing was used to evaluate neutrophil respiratory burst activity. 13 Chemotaxis was assessed by placing a chemotactic factor, N-formyl-l-methionyl-l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine (FMLP), in the lower half of a two-part chamber as described by Izumi et al 14 as a modification of the classical Boyden chamber method. 15 Phagocytosis and candidacidal assay were done with Candida albicans as the substrate as described previously.…”