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Effect of Bacitracin on in vitro Phagocytosis

Abstract

PREVIOUS investigations of the influence of antimicrobial compounds on phagocytosis indicated that polypeptide antibiotics like bacitracin and polymyxin B retarded ingestion of polystyrene latex (PSL) particles or Staphylococcus aureus by guinea-pig polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN)1. Although the levels of antibiotic necessary to produce this inhibition exceeded the therapeutic level for the guinea-pig, it was of interest to discern the mode of action of this peptide on the ingestion process and possibly gain further insight as to the basic mechanism of phagocytosis. This communication embodies some of the evidence for the chelating effect of the peptide and the essential participation of metal ions in phagocytosis.

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DOWNEY, R., PISANO, J. Effect of Bacitracin on in vitro Phagocytosis. Nature 210, 654–656 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/210654a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/210654a0

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