Glyco-tuftsin derivatives modulate interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor production.

Six Thr1 (O-glyco)-derivatives of the "phagocytosis stimulating peptide" tuftsin, H-Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-OH and the N-glycosylated undecapeptide H-Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Glu-Gln-Gln-Tyr-Asn(beta-D-GlcNAc)-Ser-Thr-OH, which correspond to the "tuftsin-region" at the Fc-domain of immunoglobulin G (amino acid residues 289-299), were evaluated in comparison with tuftsin and rigin, H-Gly-Gln-Pro-Arg-OH, for their capacity to evoke the release of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor from mouse peritoneal macrophages and from human monocytes. Several glycosylated tuftsin derivatives were found to modulate, in a rather dose-dependent manner, the release of the two cytokines from both cell types.