THE EFFECTS OF AN ECF-A AND FORMYL METHIONYL CHEMOTACTIC PEPTIDES ON OXIDATIVE-METABOLISM OF HUMAN EOSINOPHILS AND NEUTROPHILS

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (2) , 399-407
Abstract
An ECF[eosinophil chemotactic factor]-A tetrapeptide (Val-Gly-Ser-Glu) and the synthetic bacterial analog, formyl [F] Met-Leu-Phe (agents previously recognized to be chemotactic and to enhance complement receptors on human eosinophils and neutrophils), were tested for their capacity to evoke a spontaneous light emission burst (chemiluminescence), and to affect O2-consuming reactions induced by contact with serum-treated zymosan (STZ). Superoxide anion (O2-) production by neutrophils induced by STZ was significantly enhanced in both a time- and concentration-dependent fashion by F-Met-Leu-Phe, and to a lesser extent, by F-Met-Met-Phe. The dipeptide F-Met-Phe and unformylated Met-Leu-Phe were inactive. Significant eosinophil O2- generation enhancement by the valyl-ECF-A tetrapeptide was demonstrable and, in addition, this peptide appeared to have an inhibitory effect on neutrophil O2- generation. Eosinophils and neutrophils both produced a chemiluminescence burst when treated with F-Met-Leu-Phe. With both cell types the response magnitude was similar although with eosinophils peak activity occurred within 60 s as compared to 2-6 min for neutrophils. No chemiluminescent response was achieved with the valyl-ECF-A tetrapeptide using either cell type. These experiments suggest that ECF-A and formyl methionyl peptides amplify reactions associated with the respiratory burst of eosinophils and neutrophils, respectively, and support the view that the generally greater eosinophil metabolic activity may be related to the special role that this cell may play in helminthic parasite killing.