A simple reliable assay for myeloperoxidase activity in mixed neutrophil-eosinophil cell suspensions: application to detection of myeloperoxidase deficiency.

Quantitation of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity by guaiacol peroxidation (GP) assay is profoundly affected by the peroxidase present in eosinophils (EPO) that contaminate the granulocyte suspensions. Inclusion of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AMT) in the GP assay permits quantitation of MPO activity in mixed neutrophil-eosinophil suspension because of the differential inhibition of EPO and MPO by AMT. Results show that: (1) the peroxidase activity of eosinophil-free granulocyte suspensions is not appreciably affected by AMT; (2) in the presence of AMT the peroxidase activities of granulocyte preparations containing different numbers of eosinophils are similar on a neutrophil basis, regardless of the number of eosinophils and correspond with the activity of eosinophil-free granulocyte suspensions; (3) AMT almost completely inhibits the activity of partially purified EPO, only slightly affecting the catalytic activity of partially purified MPO; (4) AMT completely inhibits the residual peroxidase activity of granulocyte suspensions from MPO-deficient subjects contributed by contaminating eosinophils. The GP assay in the presence of AMT was used to study the pattern of hereditary transmission of MPO deficiency. The genealogy derived on the basis of this assay was compatible with an autosomal recessive inheritance, in agreement with previously reported results, while no definite pattern of inheritance could be established by use of the GP assay without AMT. We suggest that the GP assay supplemented with AMT is the method of choice for detection of MPO deficiency, particularly partial deficiency.