Journal - Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de santé de la Méditerranée orientale = al-Majallah al-?i??iyah li-sharq al-mutawassi? (Egypt )

Abstract :

HgCl2, added in vitro to human granulocytes in whole blood, caused a marked inhibitory effect on the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence induced by BaSO4 crystals in suspension of these cells. The effect was both dose- and time-dependent when BaSO4 was used to stimulate the oxidative burst in granulocytes. Incubation with the highest concentration of HgCl2 used (10 mmol/L), however, did not cause disruption of the membranes of granulocytes. The effect of HgCl2 on the granulocytes was irreversible following washing of the HgCl2-treated cells with phosphate buffered saline. HgCl2 did not affect chemiluminescence produced when luminol was excited by oxidative hydrogen peroxide in a cell-free medium. These results suggest that some of the toxicity of HgCl2 may be greater than mediated by an action on the phagocytic immune system.