Macrophage-mediated cytolysis of erythrocytes in the guinea pig. I. Activation by stimulators of the oxidative burst

Oxygen metabolites generated by macrophages may exert membrane injury to various cells. In this study reagents, which induce superoxide (O₂^-) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production by paraffin oil elicited adherence purified guinea pig peritoneal macrophages (GPPM), were studied as to their potential to activate macrophage-mediated cytolysis (MMC) against allogeneic and autologous erythrocytes. Strong MMC reactions were activated by 12-O-tetra-decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), methylated TPA (4-O-MeTPA), opsonized zymosan, and out of six lectins tested, by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and concanavalin A (Con A). The cGMP elevators: sodium nitroprusside and sodium azide and the formyl-methionyl-type chemotactic peptides were ineffective. MMC activated by TPA, 4-O-MeTPA, WGA, and Con A was unaffected by colchicine and partially inhibited by cytochalasin B. TPA-activated MMC was abolished by diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) (inhibitor of superoxide dismutase) and catalase, while WGA and Con A-activated MMC were only partially inhibited by DDC and unaffected by catalase.