Platelet factor 4 induces human natural killer cells to synthesize and release interleukin-8.

We provide evidence that platelet factor 4 (PF4), but not the related chemokine neutrophil-activating polypeptide-2, induced highly purified human natural killer (NK) cells to produce interleukin (IL)-8 in a time- and dosage-dependent manner. This ability was retained even while PF4 was bound to heparin. PF4 increased the steady state level of IL-8 mRNA, likely implying a transcriptional effect of PF4.