Metabolic pattern of polymorphonuclear leucocytes induced by trypsin-digested microsomes.

The addition of trypsin [EC 3.4.21.4]-digested liver microsimes induced cyanideinsensitive respiration in guinea pig polymorphonuclear leucocytes with concomitant acceleration of the hexose monophosphate oxidative pathway. The respiration was insensitive to inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration but sensitive to glycolytic inhibitors. These metabolic alterations are similar to those associated with phagocytosis, though the digested mocrosomes were apparently not taken up by the cells and prpbably trigger the netabolic changes by interaction with the cellular membrane. Intact microsomes or microsomes treated with chymotrypsin [EC 3.4.21.1], bacterial proteinase, ribonuclease [EC 3.1.4.22], or neuraminidase [EC 3.2.1.18] could not induce such respiration.