Abstract
We investigated cytotoxic activity against cultured fibroblast (3T3) by peripheral polymorphonuclear leuKocytes (PMNs) stimulated by opsonized zymosan in gouty patients. The reaction mixture consisted of peripheral PMNs,51Cr - labeled 3T3 and opsonized zymosan. Cytotoxic reaction was evaluated by measuring 51Cr release into supernatant from target cells. The release of 51Cr from 3T3 cells incubated with opsonized zymosan-stimulated PMNs from gouts patients was greatly elevated compared with normal individuals. The elevated 51Cr release in gouty patients with acute attacks was greater than that from patients without acute attacks. The presence of superoxide dismutase during the incubation of the mixture revealed a dose- dependent decrease of 51Cr release. PMNs from gouty patients with acute attacks, when administered colchicine, also showed low level of 51Cr release. These results suggested that tissue damage observed in gouty patients is partially due to excessive production of active oxygens by PMNs.
