The uptake of 3H-thymidine in Mycobacterium leprae inoculated mouse macrophage cultures as a rapid indicator of bacillary viability. Factors influencing the specificity of the in vitro assay.
Mouse peritoneal macrophages derived from BALB/c were used as host cells for 17 human-derived M. leprae strains. Simultaneous pulsing with 3H-thymidine (3H-Tdr) showed uptake of the radiolabel in 58.8% of the bacilli over a 14 day period. Preliminary data of three M. leprae strains indicate that the 3H-Tdr is preferentially incorporated into the mycobacterial DNA and not into the mammalian host cell DNA. This in vitro assay provides a rapid assessment of M. leprae viability. The factors influencing the uptake of 3H-thymidine are described.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003851:Deoxyribonucleases / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008264:Macrophages; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism
D003851:Deoxyribonucleases; D013936:Thymidine