Induction of leukochemotaxis by peptidoglycan of Staphylococcus aureus.

Leukochemotactic activity of staphylococcal peptidoglycan and isolated, specified fragments has been studied. The D-Ala-D-Ala group of the pentapeptide was found to be the major cytotaxigen, and C5a to be the dominant cytotaxin. A molecular weight of about 2,000 appeared to be a critical lower limit for inducing chemotactic response, the highest effect being observed with a fragment having a molecular weight of 3,000. The effect seems to depend on the kind of available antigenic determinants in the fragments and the proportion of specific antibodies in the complement source.