ESR detection of intraphagosomal superoxide in polymorphonuclear leukocytes using 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-methyl-l-pyrroline-N-oxide.

We applied a spin trap, 5-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-5-methyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DEPMPO), to detect O2*- generation during phagocytosis in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). PMNs were activated with serum-opsonized zymosan (sOZ) in the presence of DEPMPO. The ESR spectra mainly consisted of Cu,Zn-SOD-sensitive DEPMPO-OOH spin adducts. To clarify where these spin-adducts were present, cells after stimulation were separated from extracellular fluid by brief centrifugation and resuspended in Hanks' balanced salt solution. ESR examination showed that DEPMPO-OOH adducts were present in both fractions. When cells were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), the DEPMPO-OOH was detected in extracellular fluid but not in the cell fraction. Furthermore, DEPMPO-OOH adducts were quickly converted into ESR-silent compounds by addition of cell lysate of PMNs. These results indicate that DEPMPO is useful to detect O2*- of extracellular space including the intraphagosome but not that of intracellular space in sOZ-stimulated phagocytes.