ROLE OF PROTEIN A IN ATTACHMENT OF STAPHYLOCOCCI TO INFLUENZA-INFECTED CELLS

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (2) , 128-132
Abstract
The adherence of staphylococcal protein A-containing Cowan I bacteria to influenza-infected [rabbit kidney] cells was enhanced up to 5 times following incubation of the monolayers with anti-influenzal serum, but not following treatment with nonimmune serum. Significantly increased binding of Cowan I bacteria was detected at anti-influenzal serum dilutions as high as 1:40,960. None of the several antibody concentrations tested enhanced the binding of staphylococcal protein A-negative staphylococci. Extracellular staphylococcal protein A inhibited complement-mediated cytolysis of antibody-coated, virus-infected cells. The possible significance of staphylococcal protein A in the synergistic interaction between staphylococcal and influenza virus infections is discussed.