Chemiluminescence response of human polymorphonuclear and mononuclear phagocytic cells induced by Staphylococcus saprophyticus, lectinophagocytosis versus opsonophagocytosis.

Two strains of Staphylococcus saprophyticus with well characterized cell surface structures were studied to determine the contribution of lectinophagocytosis versus opsonophagocytosis exerted by human phagocytic cells from five healthy donors. The luminol specific chemiluminescence assay was used to evaluate the response of phagocytes. Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) were demonstrated to have surface lectin receptors, since the chemiluminescence response towards both S. saprophyticus strains was inhibited by lectin-specific glycoconjugates for those organisms. Phagocytosis of S. saprophyticus by mononuclear cells was not inhibited by microbial lectin-specific glycoconjugates but was inhibited by D-mannose, suggesting that human monocytes express D-mannose specific lectins on their surface.