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Powel H. Kazanjian, James E. Pennington, Influence of Drugs that Block Calcium Channels on the Microbicidal Function of Human Neutrophils, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Volume 151, Issue 1, January 1985, Pages 15–22, https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/151.1.15
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Abstract
The central role of calcium ions in cell physiology prompted us to examine the hypothesis that pharmacological concentrations of calcium channel-blocking drugs might affect human neutrophil (PMN) functions. The capacity of PMNs suspended in verapamil hydrochloride for killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa during two hour incubations was significantly impaired (P < .05). Several observations suggested that this drug effect was the result of altered calcium metabolism: (1) exposure to verapamil decreased the uptake of 45Ca++ by PMNs subsequently exposed to the calcium ionophore A23187; (2) verapamil did not impair PMN function in the absence of extracellular calcium; and (3) the addition of A23187 concomitantly with (but not following) verapamil prevented PMN dysfunction. In addition, nifedipine, a structurally dissimilar calcium channel-blocking drug, also impaired the bactericidal activity of PMNs against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P < .02). Further studies revealed that treatment with verapamil did not affect PMN phagocytosis, but significantly impaired the PMN respiratory burst (as shown by superoxide anion generation assay; P < .05). We conclude that PMNs exposed to pharmacological concentrations of calcium channel-blocking drugs exhibit a reduced capacity to kill bacteria.