Peculiarities of immunocorrective effects of the bone marrow regulatory peptides (myelopeptides)

Myelopeptides (MPs) are low-molecular-weight immunoregulatory peptides of bone marrow origin. The peculiarities of their immunoregulatory effects are demonstrated with two of the six synthesized MPs, MP-1 (Phe-Leu-Gly-Phe-Pro-Thr) and MP-2 (Leu-Val-Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp). It is shown that MP action is directed to the damaged links of immunity. MP-1 enhances a decreased level of antibody production in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-treated mice, but does not influence the antibody formation in normal animals. MP-2 inhibits the tumor growth more in a tumor-bearing organism as the tumor size gets larger, insofar as MP-2 antitumor effect is concerned, by its ability to recover functional activity of T lymphocytes suppressed by tumor products. Selective immumocorrective effects of MPs are based on ligand-receptor interactions. Using FITC-labeled MP-1 and [H-3]-labeled MP-2, specific binding of these peptides with appropriate cell populations is shown. The cytofluorimetric analysis revealed a target cell for MP-1-CD4(+) T lymphocyte (T helper). The data obtained suggest that MPs are endogenic immunoregulators which participate in the maintenance of immune homeostasis. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.