Aggregation of human granulocytes by Staphylococcus aureus lipase.

The effects of purified extracellular lipase from Staphylococcus aureus on human granulocytes were studied in vitro with a turbidimetric technique. Within the concentration range 0.6-4.4-mu-g/ml, lipase caused monophasic aggregation accompanied by the release of lactoferrin; the corresponding concentrations of the solvent in which it was suspended, Triton X100, had no effect. Lipase-induced aggregation did not occur in the presence of autologous plasma.