Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha lacks chemotactic activity for human peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes.

Preparations of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor alpha (rhuTNF alpha) free of aminoterminal methionine were tested for human neutrophil granulocyte (PMN) and monocyte (MO) chemotactic activity using the Boyden chamber system. Over a wide range of concentrations (10(-7)-10(-15) M) rhuTNF alpha of two different sources failed to elicit chemotactic responses in PMN or MO, whereas strong PMN and MO chemotactic activity could be detected using the tripeptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). In addition, rhuTNF alpha containing 62% aminoterminal methionine failed to induce PMN and MO chemotaxis. It is concluded that rhuTNF alpha may not be a chemotaxin for human PMN and MO in vitro.