Abstract
Summary
The effects of caffeine sodium benzoate on glucose utilization, hexose monophosphate shunt (HMP), and oxygen consumption of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) during phagocytosis were studed. The stimulation of HMP during phagocytosis was depressed when the dose of caffeine was in the range of 0.5-1.0 mg/ml. Caffeine doses of 1.0 mg/ml, or greater, depressed the HMP shunt significantly during phagocytosis; whereas the glucose utilization was affected less. The stimulation of oxygen consumption by latex particles was terminated with a caffeine dose of 0.5 mg/ml. No stimulation occurred if the same dosage was used before the addition of latex particles. Control experiments with glucose and sodium benzoate did not change the HMP shunt and glucose utilization during phagocytosis. The data presented indicate that the preferential effect of caffeine during phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes is the inhibition of the direct oxidation of glucose via the HMP shunt. Caffeine inhibits the stimulation of oxygen consumption during phagocytosis.
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