Depression of Luminol-Enhanced Chemiluminescence of Guinea Pig Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes by Influenza Virus with Special Reference to Neuraminidase

Effect of influenza virus on luminol-enhanced chemiluminescent response of guinea pig polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) was investigated in order to elucidate a possible mechanism by which influenza virus modified the oxidative metabolism of PMNL.
Influenza viruses, strains A/USSR/92/77(H1N1) and B/Kanagawa/3/76(B), rapidly stimulated oxidative burst of resting PMNL and the peak chemiluminescence initiated by them was 5 to 15 times as high as that induced by PBS(—), while the peak chemiluminescent response induced by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) delayed and the values were counted to be approximately 40% of that of PBS(—)-incubated cells. No significant changes were observed in both activities to enhance chemiluminescent response of resting PMNL and to depress PMA-induced chemiluminescent response when influenza virus with heatinactivated neuraminidase activity at 56°C for 20 min was used. Moreover, neither initiation of oxidative burst of PMNL nor depression of PMA-induced chemiluminescent response was observed with purified neuraminidase extracted from influenza virus.
It seems likely that viral neuraminidase is at least not a critical component to modify the oxidative metabolism of guinea pig PMNL.