Angiotensin III is a new chemoattractant for polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

To clarify the role of angiotensin III (ANGIII) in inflammation, we examined the effect of ANGIII on the chemotaxis of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). The elicitation of PMN chemotaxis by ANGIII was dose dependent with an optimum dose of 10(-10) M. The time course for ANGIII-elicited chemotaxis showed a maximal level at 90 min, but N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (FMLP) elicited a maximal level of chemotaxis at 60 min. When ANGIII (10(-10) M) and FMLP (10(-7) M) were given in combination, the level of chemotaxis elicited was not significantly different from the levels attained with each peptide alone, suggesting that a similar pathway of signal transduction might be involved in the chemotaxis of PMNs elicited by ANGIII and FMLP. Thus, ANGIII is a new chemoattractant for PMNs that may use a signal transduction pathway similar to, but different from, that used by FMLP.