Adenosine as a Modulator of Functional Activity of Peripheral Blood Phagocytes in Asthmatic Patients and Healthy Volunteers.

The influence of adenosine (1.0 &mgr;M) on generation of reactive oxygen species and myeloperoxidase activity of adherent phagocytes from healthy donors and asthmatic patients was studied in vitro. Adenosine enhanced NADP-oxidase activity and inhibited myeloperoxidase in leukocytes from healthy donors. It did not influence NADP-oxidase activity but stimulated myeloperoxidase activity in atopic asthma patients. In non-atopic asthma the activity of the both enzymes was inhibited by adenosine. The effects of adenosine depended on the stage and duration of asthma. The hypothesis was proposed that in bronchial asthma adenosine should play a protective role against tissue damage produced by activated phagocytes.