Lipoteichoic Acid, mAb 55

The monoclonal antibody 55 recognizes lipoteichoic acid (LTA). LTA, a glycerol phosphate surface polymer, is a component of the envelope of Gram-positive bacteria. LTA is anchored via its glycolipids to the membrane and carries a polysaccharide chain extending into the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall. LTA is released spontaneously into the culture medium during growth of gram-positive bacteria. LTA functions as an immune activator with characteristics very similar to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria. LTA binds to CD14 and triggers activation predominantly via Toll-like receptor 2. Although LTA is internalized and traffics to the Golgi, the cellular activation in response to LTA occurs at the cell surface.