Blastomyces dermatitidis chemotactic factor: kinetics of production and biological characterization evaluated by a modified neutrophil chemotaxis assay.

Chemotactic activity for human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) was detectable in culture filtrates (CFs) of Blastomyces dermatitidis and may have influenced the pathogenesis of blastomycosis. Production of this chemotaxin depended upon culture age and medium; peak levels were achieved after incubation for 17 days or more in minimal essential medium. This factor was also chemotactic for human monocytes. CF was temperature stable even after treatment at 100 degrees C for 60 min. The activity was stable under alkaline conditions but was destroyed below pH 7. Dialyzed, chemotactically active CF contained approximately 60 micrograms of carbohydrate per ml; total protein was estimated to be less than 0.8 micrograms/ml. Preincubation of PMNs with CF or N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine deactivated their chemotactic response to each agent, whereas the chemotactic response to zymosan-activated serum was not affected. In addition, deactivation with N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine reduced the response to CF. Pretreatment of CF with PMNs decreased chemotactic activity, which may reflect binding of the chemotaxin molecules to PMN receptors. A modified chemotaxis assay was developed in which commercial, disposable multiwell plates are used. This method was rapid, efficient, and inexpensive and permitted the assay of larger numbers of samples than was previously feasible with conventional chemotaxis methods.