HUMAN MONOCYTE-DERIVED CHEMOTACTIC FACTOR FOR GRANULOCYTES

Abstract

Production of the chemotactic factor for granulocytes (CFG) by human mononuclear cells was studied using the agarose plate method. CFG was produced by mononuclear cells placed in an agarose well, and a chemotactic gradient was formed in the surrounding area. The degree of CFG production by mononuclear cells was estimated by the chemotactic response of indicator granulocytes placed in separated agarose wells in the same dish. CFG production was observed after 3 h culture in a well where LPS [lipopolysaccharide] or anti-.beta.2 microglobulin serum stimulated mononuclear cells were placed. CFG did not show chemotactic activity for monocytes. PHA [phytohemagglutinin], Con [concanavalin] A, PWM [pokeweed mitogen] and Sepharose-Protein A failed to activate mononuclear cells to produce significant amounts of CFG compared with non-stimulated cells. There was a dose-response relationship between chemotactic activity of the CFG produced and the number of phagocytic mononuclear cells in well culture. CFG-producing cells are not lymphocytes, but phagocytic mononuclear cells or monocytes.