Objectives: Previously we reported that a synthetic peptide, WKYMVm, stimulates phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis in several hematopoietic cell lines and human neutrophils. In addition, the peptide induces superoxide generation in human neutrophils. The biochemical stimulation appeared to be mediated by specific receptors on leukocytes. In this report we try to find whether the specific receptor(s) exists on specific types of cells in human leukocytes.
Design and methods: To study distribution of the peptide-specific receptors, we prepared a probe, biotin-labeled WKYMVm, and analyzed distribution of the peptide receptor using a biochemical study, cytochemical staining, and flow cytometric analysis.
Results: The peptide-specific receptors are expressed in several human leukocytes including granulocytes, monocytes, and B-lymphocytes but not T-lymphocytes and erythrocytes.
Conclusions: These data suggest that the receptors for the peptide restricted to certain types of leukocytes and this specificity is probably related to the specific functions of the stimulated leukocytes.