[Stimulation of oxygen metabolism in human blood phagocytes as affected by tuftsin-like peptides derived from the C-reactive protein molecule].

Effects of synthetic peptides analogous to those cleaved by proteolysis from human C-reactive protein (CRP) molecule on the level of oxygen metabolism of blood neutrophils and monocytes were studied. The effects of the peptides were compared with the effect of tetrapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg (tuftsin). CRP-derived peptides stimulated phagocyte oxygen metabolism as effectively as tuftsin. Their effect did not depend on the presence of a second stimulus (E. Coli LPS) in the medium. Neutrophils and monocytes responded to CRP-derived peptides differently.