Chemotaxigenesis and complement fixation by Listeria monocytogenes cell wall fractions.

Data reported here show that a crude cell wall fraction of Listeria monocytogenes (LCWF) and its purified derivative (PF) induce chemotaxis of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the presence of normal rabbit serum. In addition, both LCWF and PF can fix rabbit and guinea pig complement. The purified cell wall preparation is more active than LCWF in both chemotaxigenesis and complement fixation, indicating that these activities are due primarily to the nonprotein portion of LCWF. Complement fixation by PF was demonstrated in the presence of ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and in C4-deficient serum, which is evidence that PF activated complement by the alternative pathway. Therefore, chemotaxigenesis by PF and LCWF seems to involve fixation of complement via the alternative pathway.