CHIPS (Chemotaxis Inhibiting Protein of Staph. aureus)

The bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is insensitive to antimicrobial host defense peptides such as defensins, protegrins, platelet microbicidal proteins and bacteriocins. Staphylococci have developed various resistance mechanisms including those specific for bacteriocins and several host defense peptides. A protein belonging to the resistance mechanism of Staphylococcus aureus is known as CHIPS (Chemotaxis Inhibiting Protein of Staphylococcus aureus). CHIPS is a protein produced by Staphylococcus aureus that inhibits chemotaxis of neutrophils by blocking the Formyl Peptide Receptor (FPR) and C5a Receptor on neutrophils. CHIPS and antibodies against CHIPS can be useful for various experimental infection models of Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore these reagents can be of help in studies on the role of FPR and C5a in inflammatory processes.