LOCALIZATION OF THE STRUCTURAL DOMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHEMOTACTIC PROPERTIES OF THROMBIN ON POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES

Human α thrombin at 1.1.10-5 M is chemotactic for human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. This thrombin property disappears when the α-thrombin (1.1.10-5 M) hirudin (1.32.10-5 M) mixture is realized. The same result is obtained when the thrombin at 1.1. 10-5 M is inhibited by antithrombin III in a ratio of 1 mol of thrombin for 4.5 mol of antithrombin III. The hirudin and the antithrombin III appear therefore to mask, by their binding the structural domain responsible for the chemotactic properties of thrombin on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. © 1990.