An antibody to elastin-derived chemotactic peptide Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly was used to study human artery samples from 18 patients with various vascular lesions, such as aneurysms or occlusive arteriopathy. The antibody recognised epitopes in two artery specimens, one occlusive arteriopathy and one aneurysm, and both specimens were also characterised by a segmental destruction of media. The positive staining for the peptide was located in the elastic membranes and endothelial cells that were also stained with antibodies to IgG. This study suggests that elastin-derived chemotactic peptides may have a role in vascular lesions characterised by a destruction of media and a formation of aneurysm. Since elastin-derived chemotactic peptides are more chemotactic to monocytes than to neutrophils, it is possible that mononuclear phagocytes are involved in the segmental destruction of elastin.