Summary
The NADPH oxidase of phagocytic cells is an electron transport chain in the wall of the endocytic vacuole that is activated upon engulfment of the microbe, and is important for its efficient killing and digestion. The oxidase consists of a heterodimeric cytochrome b in the membrane, which is the site of the haem and FAD groups, and two cystolic factors p47-phox and p67-phox that appear to activate the system. Absence of this oxidase as a result of defects in each of these specialized proteins causes the syndrome of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), that is characterized by a profound predisposition to pyogenic infection.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abo A, Pick E, Hall A, Totty N, Teahan CG, Segal AW (1991) The small GTP-binding protein, p21rac 1, is involved in activation of the NADPH oxidase.Nature 353 668–670.
Bu-Ghanim HN, Casimir CM, Povey S, Segal AW (1990) Theα subunit of cytochrome b-245 mapped to human chromosome 16.Genomics 8: 568–570.
Casimir CM, Bu-Ghanim HN, Rodaway ARF, Bentley DL, Rowe P, Segal AW (1991) Autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease caused by deletion at a dinucleotide repeat.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88 2753–2757.
Clark RA, Volpp BD, Leidal KG, Nauseef WM (1990) Two cystosolic components of the human neutrophil respiratory burst oxidase translocate to the plasma membrane during cell activation.J Clin Invest 85: 714–721.
Curnutte JT (1988) Classification of chronic granulomatous disease. In: Curnutte JT, ed.Haematology/Oncology Clinics of North America. Phagocytic defects 11: Abnormalities of the respiratory burst. Philadelphia, London: W.B. Saunders, 241–252.
Dinauer MC, Orkin SH, Brown R, Jesaitis AJ, Parkos CA (1987) The glycoprotein encoded by the X-linked chronic granulomatous disease locus is a component of the neutrophil cytochrome b complex.Nature 327: 717–720.
Dinauer MC, Pierce EA, Bruns GAP, Curnutte JT, Orkin SH (1990) Human neutrophil cytochrome b light chain (p22-phox): gene structure, chromosomal location and mutations in cytochrome-negative autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease.J Clin Invest 86: 1729–1737.
Leto TL, Lomax KJ, Volpp BD, et al (1990) Cloning of a 67-kD neutrophil oxidase factor with similarity to a noncatalytic region of p60c-src.Science 248: 727–730.
Lomax KJ, Leto TL, Nunoi H, Gallin JI, Malech HL (1989) Recombinant 47-kilodalton cytosol factor restores NADPH oxidase in chronic granulomatous disease.Science 245: 409–412.
Nugent JHA, Gratzer W, Segal AW (1989) Identification of the haem binding subunit of cytochrome b-245.Biochem J 264: 921–924.
Nunoi H, Rotrosen D, Gallin JI, Malech HL (1988) Two forms of autosomal chronic granulomatous disease lack distinct neutrophil cytosol factors.Science 242: 1298–1301.
Parkos CA, Allen RA, Cochrane CG, et al (1989) Purified cytochrome b from human granulocyte plasma membrane is comprised of the two polypeptides with relative molecular weights of 91,000 and 22,000.J Clin Invest 80: 732–742.
Pawson T (1988) Non-catalytic domains of cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases: regulatory elements in signal transduction.Oncogene 3: 491–495.
Rodaway ARF, Teahan CG, Casimir CM, Segal AW, Bentley DL (1990) Characterisation of the 47kD autosomal chronic granulomatous disease protein; tissue specific expression and transcriptional control by retinoic acid.Mol Cell Biol 10: 5388–5396.
Royer-Pokora B, Kunkel LM, Monaco AP, et al (1986) Cloning the gene for an inherited human disorder — chronic granulomatous disease — on the basis of its chromosomal location.Nature 322: 32–38.
Segal AW (1987) Absence of both cytochrome b-245 subunits from neutrophils in X-linked chronic granulomatous disease.Nature 326: 88–91.
Segal AW (1989) The electron transport chain of the microbicidal oxidase of phagocytic cells and its involvement in the molecular pathology of chronic granulomatous disease.J. Clin Invest 83: 1785–1793.
Segal AW, Geisow M, Garcia R, Harper A, Miller R (1981) The respiratory burst of phagocytic cells is associated with a rise in vacuolar pH.Nature 290: 406–409.
Segal AW, Heyworth PG, Cockcroft S, Barrowman MM (1985) Stimulated neutrophils from patients with autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease fail to phosphorylate a Mr-44,000 protein.Nature 316: 547–549.
Segal AW, West I, Wientjes F, Nugent JHA, Chavan AJ, Haley B, Garcia RC, Rosen H, Serace G (1992) Cytochrome b-245 is a flavocytochrome containing FAD and the NADPH-binding site of the microbicidal oxidase of phagocytes.Biochem J 284: 781–788.
Teahan C, Rowe P, Parker P, Totty N, Segal AW (1987) The X-linked chronic granulomatous disease gene codes for the beta-chain of cytochrome b−245.Nature 327: 720–721.
Volpp BD, Nauseef WM, Clark RA (1988) Two cystolic neutrophil oxidase components absent in autosomal chronic granulomatous disease.Science 242: 1295–1297.
Volpp BD, Nauseef WM, Donelson JE, Moser DR, Clark RA (1989) Cloning of the cDNA and functional expression of the 47-kilodalton cytosolic component of human neutrophil respiratory burst oxidase.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86: 7195–7199.
Yamaguchi T, Hayakawa T, Kaneda M, Kakinuma K, Yoshikawa A (1989) Purification and some properties of the small subunit of cytochrome b558 from human neutrophils.J Biol Chem 264: 112–118.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Segal, A.W. Biochemistry and molecular biology of chronic granulomatous disease. J Inherit Metab Dis 15, 683–686 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01799624
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01799624