The chemotactic attraction of human fibroblasts to a lymphocyte-derived factor.

A quantitative assay that measures fibroblast chemotaxis in vitro is described. Application of this technique has revealed that peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated by antigen or mitogen in vitro produce a factor that is chemotactic for human dermal fibroblasts. This lymphocyte-derived chemotactic factor for fibroblasts (LDCF-F) is different from the lymphokine that is chemotactic for monocytes or macrophages. Macrophages are required for the generation of LDCF-F by T lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin. The fibroblast chemotactic factor is heat stable (56 degrees C for 30 min), trypsin sensitive, and neuraminidase resistant. LDCF-F could function to attact connective tissue fibroblasts to sites at which cell-mediated immune reactions are occurring in vivo.