FREE-RADICALS AND PHAGOCYTIC-CELLS

Phagocytes mediate their innate immunological response by releasing pr oducts that damage invading microorganisms. These products include pro teins such as lysozyme, peroxidases, and elastase as well as reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hypohalous acid, and hydroxyl radical. Although it is clear that many phagocytic secre tory products have direct cytotoxic potential, understanding is limite d of how multiple products interact to generate and modulate the cytot oxic response. This review focuses on recent findings that elucidate t he biochemical nature of secretory product interaction in the formatio n of free radicals, particularly the highly reactive hydroxyl radical. The possible role of these reactions in phagocyte microbicidal activi ty and inflammatory tissue injury is discussed.