David Schmeling

Effect of staphylococcal alpha-toxin on neutrophil migration and adhesiveness.

The effect of staphylococcalα-toxin on the chemotactic response of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes was studied by measuring the migration ofα-toxin-treated cells either through membrane filters toward C5a or under agarose towardN-formyl-ι-methionyl-ι-phenylalanine. At doses of ⩾5 hemolytic units,α-toxin depressed chemotactic responsiveness in both best systems. Further studies revealed thatα-toxin was also a potent granulocyte aggregant at doses similar to those necessary for depressed chemotactic capacity. It is proposed that the inhibitory effect of this membrane-active toxin on chemotactic function may be related to increased granulocyte adhesiveness and that the pathogenic properties ofα-toxin may in part by explained by these effects.