Effect of aqueous extract of cigarette smoke on peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes chemiluminescence

Cigarette smoke induces a vast cohort of deleterious effects on biological structures. In the present paper, the effect of aqueous extract of cigarett e smoke on the activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes was studied. Althou gh the aqueous extract of cigarette smoke inhibits the luminol oxidation ca talysed by horseradish peroxidase, it strongly interacts with polymorphonuc lear leukocytes and inhibits their phorbol-induced chemiluminescence in the presence of either luminol or lucigenin. The results indicate that at leas t some of the components of the aqueous extract of cigarette smoke may stro ngly interfere with polymorphonuclear cells, contributing to the deleteriou s effects of smoke products. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.