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Dissociation of Phagocytosis and Intracellular Killing of Staphylococcus Aureus by Human Blood Leukocytes¹

From the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and the Henry Phipps Institute, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Abstract

The sera of healthy adult humans contain thermostable and thermolabile components which promote the phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus by human leukocytes. Serum heated to 56°C for 7 to 30 min produces phagocytosis at a somewhat slower initial rate; the ingested staphylococci are not killed intracellularly, at least within the 150 min of the present experiments. Unheated sera produce phagocytosis at a more rapid initial rate, and ingested staphylococci are killed intracellularly although killing is never complete within the time of these experiments. The amount of fresh serum required to produce this killing effect is very small, of the order of 0.05%.

Fresh serum also causes adherence of staphylococci to erythrocytes. Confusion due to this adherence phenomenon can, however, be obviated by appropriate arrangements of the experiments.

Footnotes

¹ This work was aided by Grant E-2690 from the National Institutes of Health, and by the United States Veterans Administration Central Office Research Service.

² Present address: United States Veterans Administration Hospital, Philadelphia 4, Pennsylvania.

³ Present address: Department of Clinical Pathology, Philadelphia General Hospital, Philadelphia 4, Pennsylvania.