Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Use of the Nitro Blue Tetrazolium Test in Clinical Pediatrics

Use of the Nitro Blue Tetrazolium Test in Clinical Pediatrics Abstract The rediscovery in 1966 that phagocytizing leukocytes reduce soluble yellow nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) to an insoluble purple formazan led to the design of tests to more accurately quantitate this observation.1 As is often the case, the initial observation of this unique response was reported in 19532 but ignored for more than a decade. Those who wish to observe NBT reduction by phagocytizing leukocytes will be both delighted and intrigued by it. The procedure is simple: a drop of anticoagulated, leukocyte-rich plasma removed from a sedimented sample of whole blood is placed on a glass slide containing a drop of NBT dissolved in normal saline and both are mixed with a suspension of ingestable particles, eg, zymosan.3 Shortly after the phagocyte reaches the particle, a violaceous color appears precisely at that point of contact. As the particle becomes entrapped within the cell, a deep purple precipitate develops References 1. Baehner RL, Nathan DG: Leukocyte oxidase: Defective activity in chronic granulomatous disease . Science 155:835-836, 1967.Crossref 2. Shaffer JM, Kucera CJ, Spink WW: The protection of intracellular Brucella against therapeutic agents and the bactericidal action of serum . J Exp Med 97:77-89, 1953.Crossref 3. Nathan DG, Baehner RL, Weaver DK: Failure of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in the phagocytic vacuoles of leukocytes in chronic granulomatous disease . J Clin Invest 48:1895-1904, 1969.Crossref 4. Windhorst DB, Holmes B, Good RA: A newly defined x-linked trait in man with demonstration of the Lyon effect in carrier females . Lancet 1:737-739, 1967.Crossref 5. Tsou KC, Cheng CS, Nachlas MM, et al: Synthesis of some p-nitrophenyl substituted tetrazolium salts as electron acceptors for the demonstration of dehydrogenase . J Am Chem Soc 78:6139-6144, 1956.Crossref 6. Baehner RL, Gilman N, Karnovsky ML: Respiration and glucose oxidation in human and guinea pig leukocytes: Comparative studies . J Clin Invest 49:692-700, 1970.Crossref 7. Iyer GY, Islam MF, Quastel JH: Biochemical aspects of phagocytosis . Nature 192:535-541, 1961.Crossref 8. Babior BM, Kipnes RS, Curnutte JT: Biological defense mechanisms: The production by leukocytes of superoxide, a potential bactericidal agent . J Clin Invest 52:741-744, 1973.Crossref 9. Johnson RB Jr, Keele B, Webb L, et al: Inhibition of phagocytic bactericidal activity by superoxide dismutase: A possible role for superoxide anion in the killing of phagocytized bacteria . J Clin Invest 52:44a, 1973. 10. Allen RC, Stjernholm RL, Steele RH: Evidence of the generation of an electronic excitation state(s) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and its participation in bactericidal activity . Biochem Biophys Res Commun 47:679-691, 1972.Crossref 11. Baehner RL, Nathan DG: Quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium test in chronic granulomatous disease . N Engl J Med 278: 971-976, 1968.Crossref 12. Park BN, Fikrig SM, Smithwick EM: Infection and nitroblue-tetrazolium reduction by neutrophils . Lancet 2:532-534, 1968.Crossref 13. Park BH: The use and limitations of the nitroblue tetrazolium test as a diagnostic aid . J Pediatr 78:376-378, 1971.Crossref 14. Matula G, Paterson PY: Spontaneous in vitro reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by neutrophils of adult patients with bacterial infection . N Engl J Med 285:311-317, 1971.Crossref 15. Park BH, Good RA: N.B.T. test stimulated . Lancet 2:616, 1970.Crossref 16. Pachman LM, Jayanctra P, Rothberg RM: Rheumatoid sera and soluble complexes: Nitroblue tetrazolium dye test and hexose monophosphate shunt activation . Pediatrics 52:823-830, 1973. 17. Strauss RG, Mauer AM, Asbrock T: Metabolic activation of human neutrophils with zymosan treated serum , abstracted. Clin Res 20:501, 1972. 18. Bittner SJ, Kieff E, Windhorst D, et al: The use of the unstimulated nitroblue tetrazolium test as a routine screening test for bacterial infection in an adult population: A reassessment . Am J Clin Pathol 60:843-853, 1973. 19. Segal AW, Trustey SF, Levi AJ: Reevaluation of nitroblue-tetrazolium test . Lancet 2:879-883, 1973.Crossref 20. Steigbigel RT, Johnson PK, Remington JS: The nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test versus conventional hematology in the diagnosis of bacterial infection . N Engl J Med 290:235-238, 1974.Crossref 21. Gifford RH, Malawista SE: The nitroblue tetrazolium reaction in human granulocytes adherent to a surface . Yale J Biol Med 45:119-132, 1973. 22. Humphrey AA: Use of the buffy layer in the rapid diagnosis of septicemia . Am J Clin Pathol 14:358-362, 1944. 23. Kaplow LS: Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase cytochemistry: Applications and methods . Ann NY Acad Sci 155:911-947, 1968.Crossref http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png American Journal of Diseases of Children American Medical Association

Use of the Nitro Blue Tetrazolium Test in Clinical Pediatrics

Loading next page...
 
/lp/american-medical-association/use-of-the-nitro-blue-tetrazolium-test-in-clinical-pediatrics-ANsFRQYjze

References (25)

Publisher
American Medical Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1974 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN
0002-922X
DOI
10.1001/archpedi.1974.02110290019003
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract The rediscovery in 1966 that phagocytizing leukocytes reduce soluble yellow nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) to an insoluble purple formazan led to the design of tests to more accurately quantitate this observation.1 As is often the case, the initial observation of this unique response was reported in 19532 but ignored for more than a decade. Those who wish to observe NBT reduction by phagocytizing leukocytes will be both delighted and intrigued by it. The procedure is simple: a drop of anticoagulated, leukocyte-rich plasma removed from a sedimented sample of whole blood is placed on a glass slide containing a drop of NBT dissolved in normal saline and both are mixed with a suspension of ingestable particles, eg, zymosan.3 Shortly after the phagocyte reaches the particle, a violaceous color appears precisely at that point of contact. As the particle becomes entrapped within the cell, a deep purple precipitate develops References 1. Baehner RL, Nathan DG: Leukocyte oxidase: Defective activity in chronic granulomatous disease . Science 155:835-836, 1967.Crossref 2. Shaffer JM, Kucera CJ, Spink WW: The protection of intracellular Brucella against therapeutic agents and the bactericidal action of serum . J Exp Med 97:77-89, 1953.Crossref 3. Nathan DG, Baehner RL, Weaver DK: Failure of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction in the phagocytic vacuoles of leukocytes in chronic granulomatous disease . J Clin Invest 48:1895-1904, 1969.Crossref 4. Windhorst DB, Holmes B, Good RA: A newly defined x-linked trait in man with demonstration of the Lyon effect in carrier females . Lancet 1:737-739, 1967.Crossref 5. Tsou KC, Cheng CS, Nachlas MM, et al: Synthesis of some p-nitrophenyl substituted tetrazolium salts as electron acceptors for the demonstration of dehydrogenase . J Am Chem Soc 78:6139-6144, 1956.Crossref 6. Baehner RL, Gilman N, Karnovsky ML: Respiration and glucose oxidation in human and guinea pig leukocytes: Comparative studies . J Clin Invest 49:692-700, 1970.Crossref 7. Iyer GY, Islam MF, Quastel JH: Biochemical aspects of phagocytosis . Nature 192:535-541, 1961.Crossref 8. Babior BM, Kipnes RS, Curnutte JT: Biological defense mechanisms: The production by leukocytes of superoxide, a potential bactericidal agent . J Clin Invest 52:741-744, 1973.Crossref 9. Johnson RB Jr, Keele B, Webb L, et al: Inhibition of phagocytic bactericidal activity by superoxide dismutase: A possible role for superoxide anion in the killing of phagocytized bacteria . J Clin Invest 52:44a, 1973. 10. Allen RC, Stjernholm RL, Steele RH: Evidence of the generation of an electronic excitation state(s) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and its participation in bactericidal activity . Biochem Biophys Res Commun 47:679-691, 1972.Crossref 11. Baehner RL, Nathan DG: Quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium test in chronic granulomatous disease . N Engl J Med 278: 971-976, 1968.Crossref 12. Park BN, Fikrig SM, Smithwick EM: Infection and nitroblue-tetrazolium reduction by neutrophils . Lancet 2:532-534, 1968.Crossref 13. Park BH: The use and limitations of the nitroblue tetrazolium test as a diagnostic aid . J Pediatr 78:376-378, 1971.Crossref 14. Matula G, Paterson PY: Spontaneous in vitro reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium by neutrophils of adult patients with bacterial infection . N Engl J Med 285:311-317, 1971.Crossref 15. Park BH, Good RA: N.B.T. test stimulated . Lancet 2:616, 1970.Crossref 16. Pachman LM, Jayanctra P, Rothberg RM: Rheumatoid sera and soluble complexes: Nitroblue tetrazolium dye test and hexose monophosphate shunt activation . Pediatrics 52:823-830, 1973. 17. Strauss RG, Mauer AM, Asbrock T: Metabolic activation of human neutrophils with zymosan treated serum , abstracted. Clin Res 20:501, 1972. 18. Bittner SJ, Kieff E, Windhorst D, et al: The use of the unstimulated nitroblue tetrazolium test as a routine screening test for bacterial infection in an adult population: A reassessment . Am J Clin Pathol 60:843-853, 1973. 19. Segal AW, Trustey SF, Levi AJ: Reevaluation of nitroblue-tetrazolium test . Lancet 2:879-883, 1973.Crossref 20. Steigbigel RT, Johnson PK, Remington JS: The nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test versus conventional hematology in the diagnosis of bacterial infection . N Engl J Med 290:235-238, 1974.Crossref 21. Gifford RH, Malawista SE: The nitroblue tetrazolium reaction in human granulocytes adherent to a surface . Yale J Biol Med 45:119-132, 1973. 22. Humphrey AA: Use of the buffy layer in the rapid diagnosis of septicemia . Am J Clin Pathol 14:358-362, 1944. 23. Kaplow LS: Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase cytochemistry: Applications and methods . Ann NY Acad Sci 155:911-947, 1968.Crossref

Journal

American Journal of Diseases of ChildrenAmerican Medical Association

Published: Oct 1, 1974

There are no references for this article.