The biochemical basis of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in normal human and chronic granulomatous disease polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Normal human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) placed in anaerobic chambers reaching pO2's of less than 5 mm Hg fail to generate O2-, iodinate ingested particles, and stimulate glucose-1-14C oxidation through the hexose monophosphate shunt. The observation that anaerobic cells are incapable of generating O2- or reducing nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) to formazan supports the idea that NBT reduction in phagocytizing PMN is due exclusively to oxygen-dependent O2- generating oxidase which is deficient in chronic granulomatous disease leukocytes, despite their hyperphagocytic capacity.