Biochemical Characterization of the Human Lymphokine Leukocyte Migration Inhibitory Factor (LIF): Role of cGMP as a Specific Inhibitor of the LIF Esterase Activity

Abstract

Many phenomena associated with cell-mediated immunity are believed to involve soluble lymphocyte products termed lymphokines (7). These mediators are released by antigen- or mitogen-stimulated T- and B-lymphocytes; like hormones, they bind to membrane components of inflammatory cells and induce a series of largely unknown intracellular reactions, which result in an altered state of reactivity of the responder cells. Since lymphokines are produced in very small amounts, they usually escape detection by conventional biochemical techniques, and their characterization in molecular terms is as yet quite incomplete (7).