title: Suppression of monocyte oxidative response by phenolic glycolipid I of Mycobacterium leprae.
abstract: Mycobacterium leprae synthesizes a unique phenolic glycolipid (PGL-I) in abundant quantities. We studied the effect of PGL-I on the generation of superoxide anion (O2-) by stimulated human monocytes. Peripheral blood monocytes pretreated with PGL-I released less O2- when stimulated with M. leprae than did control monocytes. Monocytes pretreated with dimycocerosyl phthiocerol, mycoside A of Mycobacterium kansasii, or mycoside B of Mycobacterium microti, on the other hand, released O2- in quantities comparable to control monocytes in response to M. leprae stimulation. Monocyte O2- release in response to other stimuli of the oxidative metabolic burst, such as PMA, zymosan, Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin, or M. kansasii, was unaffected by lipid pretreatment. These findings demonstrate that PGL-I has a direct effect on monocyte O2- generation in response to M. leprae and suggest that PGL-I is a modulator of phagocytic cell function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology/Immunology, University of Illinois, Chicago.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vachula
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Holzer
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000502:physiology; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae; D013481:Superoxides