Altered oxidative metabolic responses in vitro of alveolar macrophages from asymptomatic cigarette smokers.

Superoxide anion (O2) release by alveolar macrophages (AM) from young asymptomatic cigarette smokers was greater than that by AM from age-matched nonsmokers. Greater O2 release by AM from cigarette smokers was observed before and after stimulation by bacteria or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). In contrast, oxygen uptake and glucose (1(-14)C) oxidation by unstimulated or stimulated AM from cigarette smokers was the same as that by AM from non-smokers.