Isolation and purification of neutrophil-activating peptide-4: A chemokine missing two cysteines

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the isolation of a chemokine that is lacking the motif Cys-X-Cys, which is a conserved structural element of the C-X-C branch of chemokines. Chemokines identified in platelets include the C-X-C chemokines platelet factor 4 (PF4) and platelet basic protein, which is the precursor of connective tissue activating peptide-III (CTAP-III), β-thromboglobulin, and neutrophil-activating peptide-2 (NAP-2), as well as the C-C chemokine RANTES (regulated and normal T-lymphocyte expressed and presumably secreted). Apart from the release of chemokines from platelets, a number of different chemokine mRNAs could be identified to be expressed in platelets. During purification of neutrophil chemotactic activity seen in platelet lysates the chapter identifies a novel chemokine with close similarity to PF4. Because this activity was identified as a neutrophil attractant, this chemokine was termed NAP-4.