Rabbit cationic protein enhances leukocyte adhesiveness.

Cationic protein purified from rabbit peritoneal polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was demonstrated to incite autoaggregation of the rabbit PMN and promote adhesiveness of human PMN to endothelial cells. PMN aggregation induced by supernatants derived from secretory PMN was blocked by a specific anticationic protein antibody. These studies reveal that a positively charged protein derived from the PMN can alter surface properties of the PMN itself and imply a role for this protein in PMN immobilization at inflammatory sites.