Low molecular weight eosinophil chemotactic factor in granulomatous liver of murine schistosomiasis

An acidic peptide, preferentially chemotactic for eosinophils, was extracted from livers of mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Sephadex G-25 column chromatography showed that the majority of the eosinophil chemotactic activity was detected in the fractions just after elution of the molecular marker vitamin B12 (m.w. 1355.4). This activity began to appear in the livers of some mice 5 weeks after infection. Peak activity was detected at 8 to 12 weeks after infection and persisted at least until 16 weeks. It was sensitive to carboxypeptidase-A. By Dowex-1 anion exchange chromatography, the activity eluted as a narrow peak at pH 3.1 TO 2.6 as shown for eosinophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis (ECF-A). The activity was also detected in a broad peak at pH 6.3 to 3.7. Unlike ECF-A, the activity was stable to boiling in both acid and alkali. These findings suggest that granulomatous liver of murine schistosomiasis-derived eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF-G) may play a specific role in eosinophil accumulation in this chronic inflammation.