NADPH-binding component of the superoxide-generating oxidase in unstimulated neutrophils and the neutrophils from the patients with chronic granulomatous disease.

The NADPH-binding component of the neutrophil superoxide-generating oxidase was studied in the particulate oxidase fractions obtained from the neutrophils of normal and chronic-granulomatous-disease (CGD) patients. The molecular mass of the NADPH-binding component of the stimulated human neutrophils, which was labelled with the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of NADPH and sodium cyanoboro[3H]hydride, was 66 kDa. The 66 kDa component was also labelled in monocytes, but not in red blood cells, platelets and lymphocytes. The particulate oxidase fractions obtained from the patients with CGD had a diminished amount of FAD, whether they contained cytochrome b558 or not. The fractions labelled with the NADPH analogue showed that CGD patients had the NADPH-binding component in the neutrophils. The molecular mass of the component was identical with that of the normal neutrophils. The patients are thought to have an intact NADPH-binding domain of the oxidase in the neutrophils in spite of a diminished amount of FAD in the particulate fractions. The component of the oxidase in the resting neutrophils was also labelled with the analogue. The molecular mass of the component in the resting neutrophils was identical with that of the stimulated neutrophils, and the component was not phosphorylated during the activation process. These results indicate that the NADPH-binding component of the oxidase, which is specific to phagocytes, is present in the resting neutrophils and that the component does not change with respect to molecular mass during the activation process.