Lipoteichoic acid-antilipoteichoic acid complexes induce superoxide generation by human neutrophils

Human neutrophils (PMNs) which have been incubated with lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from group A streptococci generated large amounts of superoxide (O2- chemiluminescence and hydrogen peroxide when challenged with anti-LTA antibodies. Cytochalasin B further enhanced O2- generation. The onset of O2- generation by the LTA-anti-LTA complexes was much faster than that induced by BSA-anti-BSA complexes. LTA-treated PMNs generated much less O2- when challenged with BSA complexes, suggesting that LTA might have blocked, nonspecifically, some of the Fc receptors on PMNs. PMNs treated with LTA-anti-LTA complexes further interacted with bystander nonsensitized PMNs resulting in enhanced O2- generation, suggesting that small numbers of LTA-sensitized PMNs might recruit additional PMNs to participate in the generation of toxic oxygen species. Protelolytic enzyme treatment of PMNs further enhanced the generation of O2- by PMNs treated with LTA-anti-LTA. Superoxide generation could also be induced when PMNs and anti-LTA antibodies interacted with target cells (fibroblasts, epithelial cells) pretreated with LTA. This effect was also further enhanced by pretreatment of the target cells with proteases. PMNs incubated with LTA released lysosomal enzymes following treatment with anti-LTA antibodies. The amounts of phosphatase, beta-glucoronidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, mannosidase, and lysozyme release by LTA-anti-LTA complexes were much smaller than those released by antibody or histone-opsonized streptococci, suggesting that opsonized particles are more efficient lysosomal enzyme releasers. However, since the amounts of O2- generated by the LTA complexes equaled those generated by the opsonized particles, it is assumed that the signals for triggering a respiratory burst and lysosomal enzyme secretion might be different. Generation of O2- by LTA complexes was strongly inhibited by lipoxygenase inhibitors but not by cyclooxigenase inhibitors. Also phenylbutazone, trifluorperazine, and DASA markedly inhibited O2- generation induced by LTA complexes. These data suggest that bacterial products in the presence of antibody might have important biological effects on phagocytic cells and that these effects may be inimical to the host.