The mitogenicity for murine splenocytes of specific surface components of the oral periodontopathic bacterium, Actinomyces viscosus.
Many characterized fractions obtained from A. viscosus were examined to identify the macromolecules responsible for mitogenicity for lymphocytes. Spleen-cell suspensions of CBA/J mice were cultured with 50-200 micrograms dry weight of A. viscosus strains T14V and T14AV cellular components. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (Escherichia coli) was used as a positive control. Mechanical disruption with a French pressure cell or sonication produced preparations with a stimulation of 69,082 and 45,183 counts above background (CAB), respectively. Mitogenic activity was also present in the culture supernatant (38,000 CAB). Other poorly mitogenic fractions included the peptidoglycan, cell-wall fractions, muramidase digests of cell walls, and the microcapsule extracted from whole cells with 0.5 M MgNO3. The results suggest that mitogenic activity is not associated with the isolated cell-wall structure. The activity was released from the cell surface by physical shearing forces, as well as released into the medium growth.
D000190:Actinomyces / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D008934:Mitogens