Urate crystal-induced chemotactic factor: isolation and partial characterization

Abstract

A factor with chemotactic properties for neutrophils and mononuclear cells was extracted from the lysosomal fraction of both human and rabbit neutrophils that had been allowed to phagocytose monosodium urate crystals. The chemotactic factor was found to be a glycoprotein with a mol wt of 8,400 daltons. The factor is heat labile and has chemotactic activity for human as well as rabbit cells. Preincubation of the cells with the urate induced chemotactic factor or with complement activated plasma prevents the cell from migrating chemotactically when challenged with either factor in the chemotactic chamber. The chemotactic factor induces release of lysosomal enzymes for cytochalasin B treated human neutrophils.