Luminol-induced neutrophil chemiluminescence.

Out studies suggest that luminol directly enhances the chemiluminescence of human neutrophils. We show that a significant peak in chemiluminescence production in a particle-free system occurs between 5 and 15 min following exposure of cells to micromolar concentrations of luminol. The response is directly related to dose over a wide rane of luminol concentrations and can be inhibited by superoxide dismutase (90%), catalase (100%) and sodium azide (40%). Evidence is presented which suggests that the effect of luminol eliciting a peak in neutrophil chemiluminescence is mediated within intact cells rather than at the cell membrane. Luminol may produce a peak in chemiluminescence by stimulating very low levels of hexose monophosphate shunt activity and superoxide generation or it may simply amplify light production generated by the production of excited oxygen radicals resulting from surface interactions.