Generation and secretion of eosinophilotactic activity from human polymorphonuclear neutrophils by various mechanisms of cell activation.

An eosinophil chemotactic factor(s) (ECF) can be generated from human polymorphonuclear neutrophils by the calcium ionophore, phagocytosis, arachidonic acid and hypotonic lysis. In kinetic studies it is observed that peak ECF activity is released prior to the maximum of lysosomal enzyme release with the calcium ionophore, phagocytosis and arachidonic acid, while under conditions of hypotonic exposure ECF activity appears after the maximum of enzyme release. The ECF obtained by hypotonic exposure shows a fluctuating pattern with sharp peaks and steep fall-offs in activity. The ECF-release for each stimulus is temperature dependent; extracellular calcium is required when the ionophore or phagocytosis are used as stimuli, while with arachidonic acid and hypotonic exposure no extracellular calcium is necessary for ECF-release. On Sephadex G-25 each preparation of ECF eluted in the low molecular weight range at approximately 500 daltons. Eosinophils can be deactivated and cross-deactivated with the various ECF-preparations indicating either a molecular identity or a common mode of action on eosinophils.