Complete amino acid sequence of a human monocyte chemoattractant, a putative mediator of cellular immune reactions

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Mar;86(6):1850-4. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.6.1850.

Abstract

In a study of the structural basis for leukocyte specificity of chemoattractants, we determined the complete amino acid sequence of human glioma-derived monocyte chemotactic factor (GDCF-2), a peptide that attracts human monocytes but not neutrophils. The choice of a tumor cell product for analysis was dictated by its relative abundance and an amino acid composition indistinguishable from that of lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor (LDCF), the agonist thought to account for monocyte accumulation in cellular immune reactions. By a combination of Edman degradation and mass spectrometry, it was established that GDCF-2 comprises 76 amino acid residues, commencing at the N terminus with pyroglutamic acid. The peptide contains four half-cystines, at positions 11, 12, 36, and 52, which create a pair of loops, clustered at the disulfide bridges. The relative positions of the half-cystines are almost identical to those of monocyte-derived neutrophil chemotactic factor (MDNCF), a peptide of similar mass but with only 24% sequence identity to GDCF. Thus, GDCF and MDNCF have a similar gross secondary structure because of the loops formed by the clustered disulfides, and their different leukocyte specificities are most likely determined by the large differences in primary sequence.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Chemotactic Factors* / immunology
  • Endopeptidases
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Cellular*
  • Interleukin-8
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Metalloendopeptidases
  • Monocytes / immunology*
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Protein Conformation
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • Trypsin

Substances

  • Chemotactic Factors
  • Interleukin-8
  • Peptide Fragments
  • glioma-derived monocyte chemotactic factor 2
  • Endopeptidases
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • glutamyl endopeptidase
  • Trypsin
  • Metalloendopeptidases
  • endoproteinase Asp-N