title: Immunomodulatory properties of a strain of Mycobacterium chelonae. I. Mouse lymphocyte responses in vitro.
abstract: Immunomodulatory properties of a strain of live Mycobacterium chelonae (Mch) was investigated in an in vitro lymphocyte transformation system. Murine splenocyte activation by this bacterium was characterized by polyclonal lymphoproliferative responses in a dose dependent fashion. Optimal doses ranging from 20 to 80 micrograms of Mch (wet weight) per ml of cell suspension induced a very significant mitogenic effect. Higher doses (100 micrograms) of Mch manifested a decreased rate of tritiated thymidine ([3H] TdR) uptake whereas responsiveness of splenic lymphocytes to lower doses (0.156 microgram) was not modified. Contrary to the splenocyte responses activation of murine thymocytes by this mycobacterium is characterised by a decreased proliferation as compared to the background count of unstimulated cells. Simultaneous addition of Mch with optimal doses of Concanavalin A (Con A) and Phytohemaglutinin (PHA) potentiated polyclonal mitogenic responses of murine splenocytes to these two lectins. However, proliferation of these lymphocytes to Lypopolysaccharide (LPS) induction was not modified. BALB/C and DBA/2 spenocytes were found to be more responsive to stimulation by this Mycobacterium as compared to those of C3H/Ou and to a lesser degree to those of C57BL/6 mice.
authors.affiliation: Institut d'Immunologie Animale et Comparée, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Neway
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barrat
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Person
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Boulouis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pilet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology