Stimulation of locomotion of peripheral blood monocytes by human plasma fibronectin

The motility of human peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes in response to human plasma fibronectin was quantified by an in vitro assay using blind-well chemotaxis chambers. Purified fibronectin under nondenaturing conditions produced increased migration of granulocytes only at concentrations higher than 100 nM, and induced increased chemotactic and random locomotion of monocytes at concentrations higher than 0.1 nM. The monocyte migration-inducing activity of fibronectin was concentration dependent, and was strongly inhibited by low concentrations of colchicine (100 nM-100 microM). These findings suggest the possibility that plasma fibronectin serves as a chemotactic stimulus for monocytes in vivo and attracts these cells to sites of microscopic tissue injury where plasma fibronectin is deposited.