Dichotomy between macrophage activation and degree of protection against Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii in mice stimulated with Corynebacterium parvum

In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to determine the effect of Corynebacterium parvum treatment of mice on resistance of Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii. Intravenous immunization with C. parvum conferred transient protection against intravenous challenge with Listeria or an avirulent strain of Toxoplasma but did not protect against a virulent strain of Toxoplasma. Compared with the level of protection conferred by C. parvum, a higher degree of resistance was noted when mice infected with Listeria or Toxoplasma were challenged with the homologous infecting organism. Peritoneal macrophages from mice immunized intravenously with C. parvum were activated to kill Toxoplasma in vitro. Whereas resistance to challenge in vivo was transient, this population of activated macrophages persisted. Peritoneal macrophages from C. parvum mice also markedly inhibited [3H]thymidine uptake by L cells.

The effect of Corynebacterium parvum therapy on immunoglobulin class and IgG subclass levels in cancer patients

Detailed serological studies have been undertaken in a small group of cancer patients receiving nonspecific immunotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum (C. parvum). These patients included 4 cases of recurrent malignant melanoma, 2 of stomach cancer and 2 of recurrent breast cancer. They all received an initial i.v. infusion of 20 mg of a formol killed suspension of C. parvum followed by 2 mg (i.m.) at weekly intervals for 10-11 weeks. This protocol consistently resulted in an increase in the circulating IgG levels of all patients but had a variable effect on their IgA, IgM and IgE levels. Increases in the concentration of all 4 IgG subclasses contributed to the overall increase in IgG levels and these changes ranked IgG2 greater than IgG1 greater than IgG3 = IgG4. It also had an inconsistent effect upon the levels of alpha-macroglobulin in pregnancy but the levels of normal serum alpha2-macroglobulin were virtually unchanged. Pre-existing antibodies to C. parvum were noted in all the patients. Titres rose appreciably following C. parvum administration and remained at high, though fluctuating levels, throughout the 100-day period of observation. Absorption studies suggested that the development of antibodies to C. parvum accounted in part for the increased IgG levels noted following this form of therapy. The significance of these changes in relation to the possible anti-tumour effect of C. parvum is discussed.

Modifications in the handling in vitro of 125I-labelled keyhole limpet haemocyanin by peritoneal macrophages from mice pretreated with the adjuvant Corynebacterium parvum

Peritoneal macrophages were isolated from C. parvum-pretreated (CP) and normal CBAT6T6 mice and their in vitro handling of 125I-labelled Keyhole limpet haemocyanin (125I-labelled KLH) studied in relation to the humoral anti-KLH responses induced in corresponding animals. CP pretreatment exerted an adjuvant effect on the production of anti-KLH antibodies, both IgM and IgG, which was also demonstrable with a normally subimmunogenic dose of antigen. There was a clear difference between the handling of 125I-labelled KLH by CP and normal macrophages. The initial uptake of the antigen by CP macrophages was slower than that by normal ones. Moreover, 125I-labelled KLH was degraded to a lesser extent within CP macrophages, although the rates of antigen digestion were similar in both kinds of cells. The lower extent of 125I-labelled KLH degradation within the CP macrophages was due to a larger amount of antigen being retained on the cell membrane, where it escapes digestion. The findings suggest that intensified presentation to lymphocytes of antigen on the macrophage surface could be a causal factor in the adjuvant action of CP.

Chemical and immunological studies on the cell walls of Propionibacterium acnes strain C7 and Corynebacterium parvum ATCC 11829

The chemical and immunological properties of the cell walls prepared from the cells of anaerobic coryneforms, Propionibacterium acnes C7 and Corynebacterium parvum ATCC 11829, were partially investigated. The cell walls prepared from P. acnes C7 and C. parvum ATCC 11829 were composed of fatty acids, polysaccharides consisting glucose, galactose and mannose and mucopeptides consisting mainly of alanine, glutamic acid, alpha, epsilon-diaminopimelic acid, glycine, muramic acid and glucosamine. As the fatty acid constituents of the cell wall of P. acnes C7, iso-pentadecanoic acid and iso-heptadecanoic acid were detected as major components. Both cell walls prepared from P. acnes C7 and C. parvum ATCC 11829 showed potent adjuvant activity on the formation of circulating antibody and development of delayed type hypersensitivity in vivo and on the primary immune response to sheep erythrocytes in vitro, however, could not augment helper function of carrier-primed T cells and on the development of cell-mediated cytotoxicity to mastocytoma P815-X2 cells in C57BL/6J mice. It is also shown that the cell walls of P. acnes C7 and C. parvum ATCC 11829 act on mouse spleen cells as mitogen.

Identification of Propionibacterium acnes and related organisms by precipitin tests with trichloroacetic acid extracts

The serological identification of Propionibacterium acnes, P. granulosum, and P. avidum, using trichloroacetic acid extracts, is described. With antisera prepared against reference strains, the method has been tested on 142 strains recently isolated from human skin. All except two of the strains could be identified serologically, and there was excellent agreement between the serological results and the fermentation pattern of the strains. Two serological types of P. acnes and two of P. avidum were identified, but only one of P. granulosum.

Effect of local injection of Corynebacterium parvum on the growth of a murine fibrosarcoma

Local injection (i.e. injection at the site of tumour inoculation) of strains of C. Parvum which have a significant anti-tumour effect when given systemically (i.e. intravenously or, in the case of subcutaneous tumour transplant, intraperitoneally) strongly inhibits the growth of isogeneic transplants of a fibrosarcoma in intact CBA mice but has little or no effect on subcutaneous transplants of the same tumour in T-cell deprived mice. The anti-tumour effect of local injection of C. parvum, unlike that of systemic injection in this particular tumour system, thus appears to be T-cell dependent.

Potentiation of the tumor-specific immune response by Corynebacterium parvum

Strong, specific, cell-mediated antitumor immunity resulted from the sc injection into mice of Corynebacterium parvum (CP) mixed with irradiated cells from mastocytoma P815 (MA), whereas injection of irradiated MA alone was without effect. Maximum immunity was achieved with small doses of CP, and the injection sites of CP and irradiated MA did not need to be coincident but required common lymphoid drainage for immunity to result. The process was largely T-cell dependent but not dependent on the development of a specific immune response to CP; it was also demonstrable and effective in a therapy situation. No such immunity was evident after systemic administration of CP and irradiated MA. Simultaneous systemic injection of CP and irradiated MA did, however, nonspecifically reduce the enhancing effect of systemic injection of irradiated MA alone.

Daily intravenous infusions of Corynebacterium parvum in twenty patients with disseminated cancer: a preliminary report of clinical and biologic findings

Twenty terminally ill patients with various disseminated tumors were treated with daily iv infusions of Corynebacterium parvum given alone at doses of 4 mg/day, 5 days/week, for 4-16 weeks. In 8 patients (40%), the lesions partially regressed to less than 50% of their original size. Another patient who did not improve with C. parvum therapy had a complete remission after the first course of chemotherapy. Skin tests, total leukocyte counts, and T- and B-cell counts revealed variable and unpredictable changes. Phytohemagglutinin- and concanavalin A-induced blastogenesis tended to increase. Of 10 patients, 8 had a significant decrease in serum C3 levels after completion of C. parvum therapy, possibly due to an increased C3 consumption by macrophages activated by the immunostimulant. That nonspecific immune stimulation after repeated iv infusions of an immunostimulant can by itself induce regression in disseminated disease does not agree with the current concept that immunotherapy can be effective only against minimal residual disease. The therapeutic procedure proposed here, though frequently associated with moderate short-lasting side effects, is devoid of serious toxicity.

Rejection of mammary adenocarcinoma cell tumors in DBA/2 mice immunocompromised by thymectomy and treatment with antithymocyte serum

Syngeneic mammary adenocarcinoma cells were mixed with killed Corynebacterium parvum organisms and were then transplanted subcutaneously into groups of normal and immunocompromised mice. The tumors formed at the site of injection exhibited normal growth for approximately 12 days followed by rapid and lasting rejection in both normal and immunocompromised animals. The control mice were protected against reinjections of 10-4 to 10-8 cells of the same line of tumor cells. The immunocompromised mice exhibited protection to reinjection of 10-4 cells of the tumor line initially employed. Microscopic examination of histologic sections of 10-day-old tumors in immunocompromised mice arising from administration of tumor cells and C.parvum mixtures revealed infiltration of only macrophages whereas those from normal animals exhibited both macrophages and lymphocytes. The data suggested that primary rejection of these tumors in immunocompromised mice may be the result of macrophage activity together with humoral immunity. These studies also revealed that 59 to 75% of immunocompromised mice exhibit protection against reinjection of the same line of tumor cells if twice-weekly treatment (i.p.) with killed C. parvum was included after inoculation of tumor cells mixed with C. parvum vaccine. These mice, unlike their saline-treated peers, exhibit delayed hypersensitivity reactions which are associated with proliferation of theta antigen-bearing lymphocytes. They also have intact tumor-directed humoral immune reactions.

Effect of Corynebacterium parvum on the class and subclass of antibody produced in the response of different strains of mice to sheep erythrocytes

Several strains of mice were injected with sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) using C. parvum as adjuvant. The adjuvant effects on the amounts of class and subclass of antibody produced were ranked in the order IgG2b greater than IgG2a and IgM greater than IgG1. In addition, these effects were shown to vary depending on the time of administration of C. parvum relative to antigen. C parvum was shown to have no adjuvant effect on the response of congenitally athymic mice when given at the same time as the antigen, SRBC. On the basis of the reported observations it is suggested that certain of the adjuvant effects of C. parvum require T-cell function.

Effect of corynebacterium parvum on bone marrow cell cultures (38557)

The effect of C. parvum on in vitro colony-forming cell was evaluated. A single ip injection of the vaccine had no effect during the first 4 hr either on colony stimulating factor or on colony-forming cells. The enhancement of the colony-forming capacity of the bone marrow by C.parvum occurred after two injections of the vaccine within 48 hr. The stimulation of colony formation by C. parvum was time related function and occured 5 days after the initiation of the cultures. The results of this study indicate that C. parvum appears to be stimulant of bone marrow cells capable of proliferation and may be used as a valuable adjuvant against myelosuppressive agents.

Further analysis of the anti-tumour effect in vitro of peritoneal exudate cells from mice treated with Corynebacterium parvum

Administration of C. parvum to both intact and thymectomized mice resulted in the appearance in the peritoneal exudate of cells which inhibited tumour growth in vitro. This effect was mediated by intact, viable adherent cells, which it seems reasonable to categorize as macrophages, and was contingent on contact between the effector and target cells. No co-operation was observed between lymph node cells from C. parvum treated mice and peritoneal exudate cells from normal mice.

Inhibitory effect of prolonged Corynebacterium parvum and cyclophosphamide administration on the growth of established tumors

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of prolonged administration of C. parvum alone and in combination with cyclophosphamide for the treatment of established, measurable C3H tumors. The continued weekly administration of C. parvum by itself provided a limited but significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth and significantly prolonged survival. Intraperitoneal and intravenous administration was found to be more effective than the subcutaneous route. When C. parvum was administered asynchronously in combination with cyclophosphamide at weekly intervals a tumor growth inhibitory effect was achieved which was greater than that resulting from either agent along. Such an effect was consistently obtained and was seemingly independent of the sequence of drug administration. When cyclophosphamide preceded the initial C. parvum administration, arrest in the rate of tumor growth occurred, resulting in infinite tumor doubling time for the duration of observation (greater than 90 days). The combination of C. parvum and cyclophosphamide produced a more effective inhibition of tumor growth than did BCG and cyclophosphamide similarly employed. The importance of these findings relative to clinical application is considered. While the significance and genesis of the marked desmoplastic reaction characterizing tumors from animals treated with C. parvum and cyclophosphamide is at present speculative, consideration is given to the possibility that this could signify a host response against tumor growth.

Specific and nonspecific stimulation of resistance to the growth and metastasis of the line 1 lung carcinoma

The effects of specific dead tumor cell immunization and nonspecific immunostimulation with Corynebacterium parvum on the s.c. growth of the line 1 carcinoma in syngeneic BALB/c mice have been studied. Injection of heavily irradiated line ) carcinoma cells did not inhibit the transplantability or growth of the line 1 carcinoma, and in certain cases these treatments actually prolonged the period of rapid growth. This latter observation was traced to a mild inhibition of metastatic spread, which itself can slow the s.c. tumor growth. Treatment of the mice with 0.25 mg of C. parvum 7 days prior to transplant of the tumor had no effect on its growth by itself; but in combination with i.v.-injected tumor cells, which themselves had no effect on tumor growth, a 45% inhibition of tumor growth was induced. These data demonstrate that, in the weekly immunogenic line 1 carcinoma system, inhibition of s.c. transplants requires not only exposure to tumor antigens but also stimulation of the immunological reactivity.

Activation of the classical and alternate pathways of complement by Corynebacterium parvum

The immunological adjuvant Corynebacterium parvum has been to activate the alternate pathway of complement in human and guinea-pig serum. Human serum in addition contains anti-C. parvum antibodies leading to activation of the classical complement pathway. The possible role of a C. parvum derived polysaccharide in this activation is considered in relation to the biological effects of the micro-organism.

Effect of Corynebacterium acnes on interferon production in mouse peritoneal exudate cells

Corynebacterium acnes, an organism closely related to C. parvum, has been recognized to have a striking effect on the reticuloendothelial system, as well as on both humoral and cellular immunity. In mice previously exposed to C. acnes, serum interferon levels induced by injection of Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Chikungunya virus (CV), and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid are suppressed. When peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes from animals exposed to C. acnes were cultivated in vitro, their capacity to produce interferon in response to NDV and CV was reduced. Furthermore, the interferon-producing capacity of these cells in tissue culture was inhibited after exposure to C. acnes to vitro. Exposure of separated populations of peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes to C. acnes in vitro demonstrated that the interferon response to NDV by both cell types is inhibited. Peritoneal macrophages appear to be the major contributor to the interferon response in this system. Finally, this inhibitory effect was shown to occur after exposure to a purified cell wall preparation of C. acnes organisms, as well as a lipid extract of this preparation.

The effect of bacterial adjuvants on allograft survival after anti-lymphocyte serum (ALS) and donor bone marrow in mice

An injection of a low dose of donor-type bone marrow cells causes specific added survival of skin allografts on antilymphocyte serum (ALS) treated mice over that seen in mice given only ALS. The effects of single injections of Bordetella pertussis, Bacillus Calmette—Guerin (BCG) and Corynebacterium parvum were studied at various times in this enhancing system. All three agents abrogated the prolongation when given 5 days after grafting but B. pertussis produced a striking increase in prolongation when given 7 days before skin grafting with ALS and subsequent bone marrow. This effect was not found with BCG or C. parvum. The unique graft-prolonging ability of B. pertussis may be related to the changes it produces in the regional nodes.

Properties of an antigenic polysaccharide from Corynebacterium parvum

Corynebacterium parvum strain 10390 is an antitumor agent and stimulant of the reticuloendothelial system and produces a soluble antigen towards the end of its growth cycle. This material, which is a cell wall component and can also be released from the organism by acid or alkaline hydrolysis, has been purified. It is an acidic polysaccharide of molecular weight 100,000 to 150,000 and contains galactose, glucose, fucose, N-acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylglucosamine, uronic acids, sialic acids, and a small proportion of amino acids. The antigen gives a precipitin reaction with antisera raised against the whole organism and also binds to animal cells. The antigenic determinants are extremely resistant to oxidation, reduction, and enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis, but the single cell-binding site is destroyed by alkali and also by Helix pomatia digestive juice, alginase, and neuraminidase without substantially affecting the molecular weight. This site is inaccessible until the molecule is released from the cell surface. The possibility that the soluble antigen is the biologically active fraction of C. parvum is discussed.

Tumour growth, phagocytic activity and antibody response in Corynebacterium parvum-treated mice

Serum from both normal and T cell-deprived female adult CBA mice shows a background titre of antibody to Corynebacterium parvum of about 2–4 log₂ units by a latex agglutination test. Intraperitoneal injection of C. parvum causes a marked rise in titre which reaches its peak after about a month, and a second injection at that time evokes a further response. Treatment with mercaptoethanol reduces the background titre, and also the titre 1–3 weeks after immunization by 1–2 log units. Subcutaneous injection of C. parvum on the other hand evokes little or no antibody response.

Both the antitumour effect of C. parvum, and its effect on clearance of colloidal carbon from the blood stream, can occur in the presence of high levels of antibody directed against the organism. Theoretical and possible therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed.

Enhancement and depression of the antibody response in mice caused by Corynebacterium parvum

Corynebacterium parvum was shown to be capable of both enhancing and depressing antibody responses to SRBC and SSS III. These effects were dependent on the dose of antigen and its time of administration with respect to C. parvum. Alterations in the amount of the antigen reaching the spleen could not fully account for these effects. C. parvum depressed the capacity of spleen cells to transfer an antibody response. The homing of ⁵¹Cr-labelled lymph node cells to the spleen was not affected by C. parvum treatment of recipients. The possible mechanisms of the adjuvant and depressive effects of C. parvum on the antibody response are discussed in the light of these findings.