Glycolytic Inhibitor Failed to Inhibit Superoxide Generation in Mouse Macrophages: An Investigation Using a Chemiluminescence Probe Specific for Superoxide Anion

Abstract

Glucose is widely known to be required during superoxide (O₂^-) generation in phagocytic cells. However, when an O₂^--specific chemiluminescence probe with the Cypridina luciferin analog 2-methyl-6-(p-methoxyphenyl)-3, 7-dihydroimidazo[1, 2-a]pyrazin-3-one (MCLA) was used, about 60% of the chemiluminescence remained in stimulated macrophages in the presence of the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose. O₂^--nonspecific luminoi-dependent chemiluminescence disappeared when the same drug was added. These results clearly demonstrate that the generation of O₂^-by macrophages is not completely glucose-dependent, and strongly suggest that macrophages have both glucose-independent NADPH-supplying pathway(s) and glucose dependent pathway(s) which generate reactive oxygen species other than O₂^-.