Migration of human monocytes in response to procalcitonin.
OBJECTIVE
Circulating serum levels of procalcitonin rise significantly during bacterial infection. Because calcitonin is known to be a monocyte chemoattractant, we investigated whether procalcitonin, a prohormone of calcitonin, also affects leukocyte migration.


METHODS
Prospective, controlled in vitro study.


METHODS
University research laboratories.


METHODS
Forearm venous blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils and monocytes were isolated from healthy human donors. Cell migration was assessed in a blindwell chemotaxis chamber. The distance of migration into filter micropores was measured. To biochemically confirm functional data on cell migration, effects of procalcitonin on cellular levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
Both procalcitonin and calcitonin elicited dose-dependent migration of monocytes at concentrations from the femtomolar to the micromolar range. Neutrophils did not migrate toward procalcitonin or calcitonin, nor was their oxygen free radical release affected as measured fluorimetrically. Checkerboard analysis of monocyte locomotion revealed procalcitonin-induced migration as true chemotaxis. Pretreatment of monocytes with procalcitonin or calcitonin rapidly deactivated their migratory response to formyl-Met-Leu-Phe, and both also induced homologous deactivation of migration. Procalcitonin elevated levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate in monocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
In vitro procalcitonin is a monocyte chemoattractant that deactivates chemotaxis in the presence of additional inflammatory mediators. Procalcitonin stimulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate production in monocytes, suggesting that its action may be specific and comparable with calcitonin, which exerts similar functions.
Wiedermann
Franz J
FJ
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Leopold-Franzens-University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria. franz.wiedermann@uibk.ac.at
Kaneider
Nicole
N
Egger
Petra
P
Tiefenthaler
Werner
W
Wiedermann
Christian J
CJ
Lindner
Karl H
KH
Schobersberger
Wolfgang
W
D002116:Calcitonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002116:Calcitonin; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide