Influence of antibiotics on fibronectin binding and phagocytosis of staphylococci by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

The effect of subbactericidal concentrations of cell wall and protein synthesis-inhibiting antibiotics on fibronectin-staphylococcal interactions was examined. Exposure of staphylococci to protein synthesis inhibitors resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in fibronectin's ability to bind to and promote the phagocytosis of treated organisms by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Cell wall inhibitors, on the other hand, had little or no effect on fibronectin binding or phagocytosis. Serum remained an effective opsonin despite antibiotic modulation of fibronectin binding site expression.