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The Effect of a Streptococcus Pyogenes Teichoic Acid on the Immune Response of Mice¹

From the Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210

Abstract

The immunosuppressive activity of glycerol teichoic acid extracts isolated from Streptococcus pyogenes 1-RP41, a group A beta hemolytic streptococcus, has been investigated by measuring the number of direct plaque-forming cells and indirect plaque-forming cells in isolated spleen cells and serum hemolysin titers in mice treated with the teichoic acid. These extracts caused significant suppression of both the IgM and IgG response which was evident at both the organ level and the circulating antibody level. Inhibition of the immune response seemed to be a function of the poly(glycerolphosphate) backbone of the molecule since inhibition of antibody production was still evident when alanyl esters were removed from the teichoic acid polymer. In addition teichoic acid appeared to be functioning at the early processes of antibody production since treatment with the extract after antigenic challenge did not cause significant suppression.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by United States Public Health Service Grant AI-07361 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.