LEUCOCYTE MIGRATION INHIBITION IN VITRO WITH INHIBITORS OF ASPARTIC AND SULPHHYDRYL PROTEINASES

The human leucocyte migration in the leucocyte migration under agarose technique (LMAT) was investigated with specific inhibitors of aspartic, sulphhydryl. metallo- and serine proteinases. The general aspartic proteinase inhibitor pepstatin and the highly specific competitive cathepsin D inhibitor, N-gly-glu-gly-phe-leu-gly-D-phe-leu suppressed leucocyte migration at concentrations of 20–200 μmol/l and 30–59 μmol/l, respectively. The suphhydryl enzyme inactivator, N-ethylmaleimide suppressed leucocyte migration at concentrations of 100–200 μmol/l. Several inhibitors of serine- and metallo enzymes were tested, but none had any effect on leucocyte mobility, although the metal binding agent 8-hydroxyquinoline was strongly inhibitory to cell migration, the significance of which is discussed.