Sulfite stimulates NADPH oxidase of human neutrophils to produce active oxygen radicals via protein kinase C and Ca2+/calmodulin pathways.

The effect of sulfite on the oxidative metabolism of human neutrophils was studied in vitro. Superoxide anion production of PMN was determined using superoxide dismutase-inhibitable lucigenin-dependent CL. The addition of sulfite in concentrations of 0.01 mM-1 mM results in an up to 6-fold increase in CL of nonstimulated neutrophils at 37 degrees C and pH 7. Neutrophils stimulated with zymosan or PMA have an additional 2-fold stimulation when sulfite is added. Higher sulfite concentrations (2 mM-10 mM) decrease the CL of both nonstimulated and stimulated cells. The activity of NADPH oxidase, responsible for O2.- production, is significantly increased in neutrophils incubated with 1 mM sulfite. Neutrophils from patients with chronic granulomatous disease, which are cytochrome b558 negative or have p47phox deficiency, exhibit no significant NADPH oxidase activity and show no increase in CL by sulfite. Inhibitors of protein kinase C, H7, and calphostin C, as well as inhibitors of Ca(2+)- and calmodulin-dependent processes, W7, and R 24 571, completely inhibited the increased CL of sulfite-treated neutrophils. These findings indicate that sulfite in low concentrations stimulates neutrophils to produce superoxide anions by activation of NADPH oxidase through a signal transduction pathway involving protein kinase C and Ca2+/calmodulin.