2-Chloroadenosine inhibits complement-induced reactive oxygen metabolite production and recovery of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes attacked by complement.

Luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence demonstrated that 2-chloroadenosine inhibited complement-induced reactive oxygen metabolite production in human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. This inhibition was reversed by 8-phenyltheophylline. Binding of a [125I]-labelled monoclonal antibody against C9 to human PMN demonstrated removal of membrane attack complexes from the cell membranes, and in addition indicated inhibition of this process by 2-chloroadenosine. This compound also increased the percentage of complement-induced cell lysis of polymorphonuclear leucocytes.