Effect of endotoxin on tumor resistance in mice

As reported earlier, an intraperitoneal injection of 1 mug of endotoxin (ET) from Serratia marcescens rendered mice resistant against the nonspecific mouse ascites tumor TA3-Ha upon challenge 24 h after pretreatment with ET. Further studies were aimed at the elaboration of conditions which achieved maximal resistance. It appears that (i) a 10-mug dose of ET was approximately the optimal dose for protection; (ii) pretreatment with ET 3 to 0 days prior to tumor challenge gave best protection; and (iii) the intravenous injection of ET showed a lower protection against the tumor than intraperitoneal application. Studies on the mechanism of ET protection indicate that (i) ET does not have a direct cytotoxic effect on tumor cells; (ii) normal spleen cells exposed to ET in vitro can adoptively transfer protection against tumor; and (iii) spleen cells activated in vivo by intravenous injection of ET can adoptively transfer protection. The possible involvement of mononuclear cells is discussed.

Characterization and stability of ribosomes from mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria

Ribosomes were isolated from three mesophilic and three thermophilic strains of Bacillus. The ribosomes consisted of about 55% protein and 45% ribonucleic acid. Average ratios for the absorbance at 260/235 and 260/280 mmu were 1.77 and 1.92 for the mesophiles and 1.63 and 1.84 for the thermophiles. Ultracentrifugation revealed mainly components with sedimentation coefficients of about 30, 50, 70, 100, and 120S. All the preparations were shown to contain a ribonuclease which, in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, led to ribosome breakdown as measured by the increase in acid-soluble nucleotides. The stability of the ribosomes from the thermophiles was consistently greater than that of the ribosomes from the mesophiles. After 5 hr at 37 C, the breakdown was about 80% for the ribosomes from the mesophiles and 55 to 70% for those from the thermophiles. At 60 C, the ribosomes from the mesophiles were broken down slightly more and at a faster rate than those from the thermophiles. At temperatures above 60 C, the breakdown was again more pronounced for the ribosomes from the mesophiles.