N-Formylmethionyl peptide receptors on equine leukocytes initiate secretion but not chemotaxis.

The chemotaxis of leukocytes appears to be initiated by the binding of chemotactic factors to the surface of these cells. N-Formylated peptides induce chemotaxis and lysosomal enzyme secretion of leukocytes; because these peptides are available in a purified radiolabeled form, they have been useful in the characterization of receptors for chemotactic factors. Equine polymorphonuclear leukocytes secrete lysosomal enzymes but do not exhibit chemotaxis in respone to the N-formylated peptides, even though they have a high-affinity cell surface receptor for these agents. The specificity of the equine receptor resembles the specificity of the receptor on chemotactically responsive leukocytes from other species. Equine polymorphonuclear leukocytes may thus be an excellent model for the study of the events that lead to a biological response following receptor occupancy.