Purification and partial sequence of rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocyte-derived lymphocyte proliferation potentiating factor resembling IL-1 beta.

A rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN)-derived lymphocyte proliferation-potentiating factor (PMN factor) was finally purified to homogeneity. PMN factor was released from early inflammatory peritoneal exudate cells (98% of PMN) stimulated with kaolin under roller bottle culture conditions. PMN factor was purified by large sequential scale steps, using membrane-type ion exchangers and gel filtration, followed in this order by HPLC steps with cationic ion exchangers and a hydroxylapatite column. Homogeneity was manifested based on the criteria of a single m.w. 18, 500 band on silver-stained polyacrylamide gel, a superimposable activity on a UV absorbance peak in analytic HPLC gel filtration, and detection of a single amino-terminal sequence. The homogeneous PMN factor had an isoelectric value of 7.2 and an activity of 1.9 x 10(7) U/mg in the thymocyte comitogenic assay. PMN factor stimulated one-half of the maximal response of thymocyte proliferation at 2.8 x 10(-12) M. Because of similarities in the physicochemical properties, specific activity, and amino-terminal sequence between rabbit PMN factor and human IL-1 beta, this PMN factor is therefore considered to be a rabbit IL-1 beta.