Activation of the alternative complement pathway by pneumococcal cell wall teichoic acid
Winkelstein, J.A.; Tomasz, A.
Journal of Immunology 120(1): 174-178
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 24071 Document Number: 134336
Previous studies have shown that the cell wall plays a major role in the activation of the alternative pathway by the pneumococcus. The present studies were performed to identify the biochemical component of the pneumococcal cell wall responsible for activating the alternative pathway myeloma with anti-choline specificity. Since cell wall teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid contain choline and are removed by TEPC-15 absorption, the activity in the crude preparations of cell wall polymers could have been due to 1 or both of these compounds. Purified lipoteichoic acid was unable to activate the alternative pathway. The ability of crude preparations of cell wall polymers to activate the alternative pathway was due to the presence of cell wall teichoic acid. Cell wall teichoic acid, rather than peptidoglycan, is responsible for pneumococcal activation of the alternative pathway.