Effect of cytokines on the level of free radicals in the blood of patients with systemic and local staphylococcus infection.

Abstract

An increased extracellular production of free radicals with bactericidal activity does not improve the efficacy of intracellular digestion of Staphylococci. The amount of intracellular oxygen reactive species generated by the neutrophils from patients with an infectious condition has been found considerably decreased as compared to healthy donors. On the other hand, the excess of secretion of free radicals into the extracellular space leads inevitably to the adaptive increase of antioxidant enzymes and, as a result, to an increase in the total antioxidant capacity of the blood plasma. Indeed, patients with septicemia at its highest peak (at the moment of hospitalization) showed a significant increase (more than twice) in the parameters of catalase and superoxide dismutase activity; the antioxidant capacity of the plasma was elevated as well. The patients of the other two groups in our study (with a localized infection) did not show any statistically significant rise in these parameters. On the second day after the initiation of an intensive treatment the activity of the enzymes and the total antioxidant capacity of the plasma dropped sharply below the normal level. Therefore, the staphylococcus infection, especially its generalized from, is characterized by an increased extracellular secretion of radicals together with a decreased generation of intracellular radicals. On one hand this leads to the failure of the intracellular killing, on the other--to the inflammatory free radical-mediated damage of the host cells and tissues. Cytokines, such as interleukins and interferons, can regulate the free radical-mediated processes during the staphylococcus infections. The effect of the two recombinant cytokines (IL-1 beta, IFN-gamma) on the character of free radical production and intracellular killing of Staphylococci by neutrophils isolated from the blood of patients and healthy donors has been studied. The analysis of the effect of cytokines on the radical production by phagocytes revealed a redistribution of the extracellular and intracellular fractions of free radicals rather than a general increase of the oxygen active metabolite production. As expected, the increment in the number of intracellular radicals improved significantly the process of phagocytosis.