β-Naphthylamine induces anion superoxide production in rat peritoneal macrophages

Abstract Rat peritoneal macrophages were incubated in the presence of β-naphthylamine (β-NA), a well known carcinogenic agent, and some parameters of respiratory burst were studied. β-NA induced a time- and dose-dependent stimulation of superoxide anion (O 2 − production, and this enhancement was suppressed by the addition of superoxide dismutase enzyme. Also, no cooperative effect between β-NA and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was observed. Other observations were as follows: (i) the simultaneous presence of polymyxin B, and staurosporine inhibitors of protein kinase C, inhibited β- NA-dependent O 2 − production; (ii) NADPH-oxidase contained in postnuclear fraction from β-NA-incubated macrophages showen a greater activity than control fractions; (iii) the simulation of O 2 − production elicited by β-NA was several-fold enhanced in activated macrophages compared to resident cells. These data suggest that β-NA produces the activation of NADPH-oxidase through protein kinase C.