Chemotactic properties of rat immunoglobulins and immune complexes.

The effect of rat immunoglobulins and immune complexes on the locomotor function of rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was investigated in vitro. Rat immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgA monoclonal antibodies specific for the dinitrophenyl hapten were used. Both monomeric and polymeric IgA showed chemotactic activity in a dose-dependent manner. IgG1 and IgG2b also induced a dose-dependent locomotor response of PMN, but the nature of the induced migration was chemokinetic (enhancing random migration). IgG2a was chemotactic and induced maximal migration at a relatively low concentration. IgG1- and IgG2b-immune complexes induced stronger migration than antibody alone; however, IgA- and IgG2a-immune complexes did not. IgA was shown to modify the chemotactic movement of PMN induced by N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). In the presence of both IgA and FMLP in the lower chamber, the migration towards suboptimal concentrations of FMLP was enhanced. By contrast, IgA in the upper chamber decreased migration towards the optimal or higher concentrations of FMLP. These findings suggest that IgA may work synergistically with luminal chemoattractants to mobilize PMN to the locus of infection on the mucosal surface. In addition, the intense activity of IgG2a alone and IgG1- or IgG2b-immune complexes in inducing PMN migration may play an important role in inflammatory processes. The data indicate that immunoglobulins have a direct effect on PMN mobility.