DETECTION OF THE CHEMOKINE RANTES IN CYTOKINE-STIMULATED HUMAN DERMALFIBROBLASTS

thermore, similar kinetics could be demonstrated in fibroblasts for bo th RANTES mRNA expression and secretion of RANTES peptide using Northe rn blot hybridization and sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. RANTES expression was induced upon stimulation with tumo r necrosis factor-alpha as well as with interleukin-1 alpha and -beta in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. These results reinforce the role of both resident and circulating cells in the production and release of RANTES and their participation in inflammatory processes.A novel family of structurally and functionally related polypeptides ha s recently been detected that are now referred to as chemokines. Withi n this family, a peptide with the acronym RANTES was shown to be chemo tactic for memory T cells, monocytes, and eosinophilic and basophilic granulocytes, thus suggesting it plays an important role in chronic in flammatory and allergic diseases. Murine monoclonal antibodies as well as cDNA probes specific for human RANTES were raised and extensively characterized. With these antibodies, stimulated human dermal fibrobla sts were shown to express intracellular RANTES peptide by immunocytoch emistry. Fur