In vitro augmentation of natural killer cell activity and production of interferon-alpha/beta and -gamma with deoxyribonucleic acid fraction from Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
A nucleic acid-rich fraction extracted and purified from BCG (MY-1) augmented natural killer (NK) cell activity of mouse spleen cells in vitro, and produced factor(s) which showed anti-viral activity and rendered normal macrophages cytotoxic towards tumor cells. These cellular responses were induced by the MY-1 digested preliminarily with RNase, but not by the MY-1 digested with DNase, indicating that DNA contained in MY-1 was essential for the responses. The function of the factor to activate macrophages was destroyed by treatment with a small amount of anti-interferon (IFN)-gamma antiserum or under acidic conditions (pH 2), but not by treatment with anti-IFN-alpha/beta antiserum, while the anti-viral activity was destroyed almost completely by treatment with anti-IFN-alpha/beta antiserum. It appears that DNA from BCG stimulated mouse spleen cells in vitro, resulting in augmentation of NK activity and production of IFN-alpha/beta and -gamma.
Yamamoto
S
S
Department of Cellular Immunology, National Institute of Health, Tokyo.
Kuramoto
E
E
Shimada
S
S
Tokunaga
T
T
D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007700:Kinetics; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000032:analysis*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007370:Interferon Type I; D008222:Lymphokines; D016215:Macrophage-Activating Factors; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons