Comparison of a fluorimetric and a colorimetric method for the determination of hydrogen peroxide production by rat pleural macrophages

Abstract

A fluorimetric and a colorimetric method for the determination of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production by isolated cells were compared. Despite a higher sensitivity of the fluorimetric assay, using homovanillic acid (HVA) as reagent, a significantly lower H₂O₂ production by rat pleural macrophages was measured in comparison to the colorimetric phenol red method. A negative influence of HVA on H₂O₂ production was detected in the colorimetric assay. These results suggest that the fluorimetric assay with HVA is unsuitable for determining H₂O₂ formation by isolated cells.