Specific binding sites for the phagocytosis stimulating peptide tuftsin on human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes

Highly purified and biologically active [³H]tuftsin (specific activity 9 Ci/mmol) was synthesized and its binding to several types of human circulating blood cells was studied at 22°C. The binding to polymorphonuclear leukocytes and to monocytes was found to be specific, fast, saturable and reversible. Values for the dissociation constants (K_D) were derived from equilibrium experiments and are 130 and 125 nM, respectively. The number of binding sites is approximately 50,000 and 100,000 per cell, respectively. Under the same experimental conditions lymphocytes exhibited only a threshold binding capacity for [³H]tuftsin whereas erythrocytes revealed no detectable binding.