Oxidative metabolism of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes in experimental massive pulmonary embolism

Oxidative metabolism of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes circulating in the blood was studied by chemiluminescent analysis and the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test. Pronounced activation of oxidative metabolism of polymorphonuclear leukocytes was observed by the third and sixth hours of massive embolism of the pulmonary arteries. Comparison of the examined parameters of oxidative metabolism of leukocytes isolated simultaneously from venous and arterial blood indicates a delay of the most active cell fraction in pulmonary vessels during massive embolism. The transfer of functionally active leukocytes from the circulating to the marginal pool of the lungs suggests their participation in damaging the pulmonary microvascular endothelium and in increasing its permeability. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 118, N ^o 12, pp. 640–644, December, 1994 Presented by V. V. Kupriyanov, Member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences