Determination of cell viability

In vitro induction of tumor-specific immunity. I. Parameters of activation and cytotoxic reactivity of mouse lymphoid cells immunized in vitro against syngeneic and allogeneic plasma cell tumors

Induction of tumor-specific immunity in vitro was accomplished by cocultivation of cortisone-resistant murine thymocytes or spleen cells with irradiated syngeneic plasma cell tumors (PCT). The cytotoxic activity generated could be detected in a short-term (51)Cr-release assay. Optimal cytotoxic activity against PCT-associated transplantation antigens (TATA) was generated after 7 days in culture. Unlike cytotoxic responses to tumor allografts in which the cytotoxic activity was directed against allogeneic transplantation antigens, the cytotoxic activity obtained in the syngeneic tumor system was specific to the immunizing syngeneic PCT. Similar parameters of induction of cytotoxic responses in in vitro tumor allograft responses and in the syngeneic tumor system suggested that both reactions are cell-mediated cytotoxic immune responses. With regard to the magnitude of cytotoxic responses obtained, allogeneic transplantation antigens induced about a 30-fold higher cytotoxic immune response than plasma cell TATA. The results are consistent with the concept that in vitro tumor allograft responses and in vitro responses against TATA of PCT are similar in quality, but differ in the magnitude of the cytotoxic response provoked.

Implantation of exogenous enzymatic activity in isolated alveolar macrophages

Alveolar macrophages acquired the capacity to oxidize uric acid after exposure to uricase. Presumably this resulted from intracellular incorporation of the enzyme by endocytosis. This approach may provide a general method for (i) testing regulatory biochemical mechanisms, (ii) therapeutic replacement of deficient regulatory macromolecules, and (iii) studying environmental factors that produce genetic alterations.

Nature of the stimulating cell in the syngeneic and the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction in mice

Thymus cells from CBA and BALB/c mice are stimulated by syngeneic peripheral lymphoid cells in a "one-way" mixed lymphocyte reaction. The stimulating cell appears to be a mature B cell. Spleen cells from neonatal mice and thymus cells or bone marrow cells from adult mice are not able to induce DNA synthesis in syngeneic thymus cells, although they stimulate significantly allogeneic thymocytes. The ability of peripheral B cells to serve as stimulating cell in a syngeneic reaction develops with the age of the animal. The marginal stimulation of syngeneic thymus cells when 90% pure peripheral T cells were used as stimulating cells indicated that T cells alone were ineffective in stimulating in syngeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction. However they stimulated effective allogeneic thymocytes. On a cell-to-cell basis, light density splenic lymphocytes stimulated both syngeneic and allogeneic thymocytes better than did more dense lymphocytes. The data obtained suggest that stimuli other than those responsible for allogeneic stimulation induce proliferation of syngeneic thymus cells under identical culture conditions.

Cell-mediated immune response in vitro. 3. The requirement for macrophages in cytotoxic reactions against cell-bound and subcellular alloantigens

All efficient cell separation procedure and specific anti-macrophage serum were used to investigate the requirement of macrophages in the in vitro allograft response of mouse lymphoid cells. The efficiency of the macrophage-depletion procedure used and the undiminished capacity of the purified lymphocytes to respond were verified by also testing the antibody responses to sheep red cells (SRC) and dinitrophenylated polymeric flagellin (DNP POL) as well as the proliferative response to allogeneic cells. It was found that the generation of cytotoxic lymphocytes were diminished after macrophage depletion by surface adherence. The combination of anti-macrophage serum and column purification resulted in the total abolition of cytotoxic activity. The cell-mediated immune response was restored completely by addition of peritoneal macrophages, with as few as 1 macrophage to 600 lymphocytes permitting a significant restoration. Macrophages were not involved in the cytotoxic effector phase, but were essential in immune induction. A subcellular H-2 alloantigen preparation was only immunogenic in the presence of macrophages, indicating that a mere reduction in the size of the antigen from cell-bound alloantigens to membrane fragments was not the sole function of macrophages. The results suggest that macrophages collaborate with T cells in the initiation of an allograft response in vitro.

Induction of immunity and tolerance in vitro by hapten protein conjugates. I. The relationship between the degree of hapten conjugation and the immunogenicity of dinitrophenylated polymerized flagellin

Of many dinitrophenylated (DNP) protein conjugates tested, only DNP conjugated to polymerized flagellin (DNP-POL) (or the structurally related bacterial flagella) elicited a primary anti-DNP response in vitro. Other DNP proteins, such as DNP-monomeric flagellin (DNP-MON), were capable of inducing secondary responses in vitro. The capacity of DNP-POL to immunize spleen cell suspensions devoid of thymus-derived cells was the reason for the greater immunogenicity of DNP-POL, since even large numbers of flagellin-reactive activated thymus cells did not increase the anti-DNP response of normal spleen cells immunized with DNP-POL, whereas the thymus-dependent response to DNP-MON was markedly increased. The capacity of various batches of DNP-POL to immunize normal spleen cells in vitro varied markedly, depending on the number of DNP groups conjugated. DNP-POL with few DNP groups conjugated was immunogenic, but even at very high concentrations did not induce tolerance. In contrast, highly conjugated DNP-POL did not immunize, but readily induced tolerance. DNP-POL with intermediate degrees of conjugation were, like unconjugated polymeric flagellin, capable of inducing both immunity and tolerance. Since DNP-POL immunizes bone marrow-derived lymphocytes (B cells) directly the reduced response was not due to a masking of carrier determinants, necessary for cell collaboration. By using mixed DNP-5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalyl (dansyl)-POL conjugates, it was found that the inhibitory effect of a high degree of hapten conjugated was hapten specific. Depolymerization of DNP-POL to DNP-MON, which does not induce primary anti-DNP responses, was excluded by centrifugation analysis and electron microscopy. The relationship of the degree of hapten conjugation on DNP-POL to the capacity to induce tolerance and immunity in B cells has clarified the mechanism of immunological triggering of these cells. A model of the mechanism of "signal" discrimination between immunity and tolerance in B cells, based on these findings, is proposed.

Characterization of antigens from the yeast phase of Histoplasma capsulatum

Preliminary studies established methods for obtaining maximum yields of viable cells. Liquid shaken cultures of Histoplasma capsulatum provided a maximum of 4 x 10(8) to 5 x 10(8) cells/ml regardless of the inoculum size. Under optimum conditions, cells were viable (90 to 95%) for 168 to 240 hr. Generation times ranged from 7.52 to 8.36 hr. Immunodiffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, and ultracentrifugation studies on phenol and ethylenediamine extracts of intact cells and cell walls revealed the presence of two components in the ethylenediamine extracts and three in the phenol preparations. The ethylenediamine extracts from intact cells and cell walls seemed to be identical although one of the components was more abundant in cell walls. Mice injected intraperitoneally with intact cells or cell walls were protected against intravenous challenge with H. capsulatum. Among the extracts, the water-soluble ethylenediamine extract from cell walls was most immunogenic. The other extracts gave only a light protection or none at all. Intact cells and cell walls were slightly toxic to mice. Two of the extracts were toxic when incorporated into Freund's complete adjuvant.

The relationship between antigenic structure and the requirement for thymus-derived cells in the immune response

Certain antigens such as polymerized flagellin are capable of producing relatively normal antibody levels in thymectomized mice, whereas others, including heterologous erythrocytes require the presence of T cells in a helper capacity. The mechanism of thymus-independent antibody production was investigated by comparing the primary IgM responses of spleen cells from ATXBM, XBM, and normal mice to various physical forms of the flagellar antigens of Salmonella adelaide in vitro. No reduction in antibody-forming cell levels to polymerized flagellin over a wide dose range was observed in ATXBM cultures, although the same spleen cells did not respond to an optimal dose of sheep red cells. In contrast, when flagellar determinants were presented in a monomeric form or as flagellin-coated donkey red cells, a highly significant difference was observed between the antibody responses of spleen cells from ATXBM mice and XBM or normal controls. The results suggested that the requirement for T cells in antibody production is not a property of specific antigenic determinants, but depends on the mode of antigenic presentation. The validity of this conclusion was confirmed by using another antigenic determinant (DNP) coupled either to the thymus-independent carrier, POL, or to the thymus-dependent carrier, DRC. Spleen cells from XBM mice produced comparable AFC levels to both forms of DNP, but the results from ATXBM cultures showed a marked difference. The anti-DNP response to DNP-DRC was greatly reduced compared to controls, whereas that to DNP-POL was normal even after prolonged thoracic duct drainage of the ATXBM donors and pretreatment of their spleen cells with anti-theta-serum and complement. The data presented here imply that the role of T cells in humoral immunity is the presentation of antigen to B cells in such a manner as to initiate optimal antibody synthesis.

Redox state of free nicotinamide-adenine nucleotides in the cytoplasm and mitochondria of alveolar macrophages

Cytoplasmic free NAD(+)/NADH ratios have been calculated from lactate to pyruvate ratios, and mitochondrial NAD(+)/NADH ratios, have been calculated from beta-hydroxybutyrate to acetoacetate ratios in isolated rabbit alveolar macrophages. In freshly harvested cells, assuming a pH of 7 for the two compartments, cytoplasmic NAD(+)/NADH averaged 709 +/-293 (SD), and mitochondrial NAD(+)/NADH averaged 33.2 +/-30.2, values which are significantly different. 30 min of air incubation in a relatively poorly buffered medium showed a significant reduction in calculated mitochondrial NAD(+)/NADH to 10.1 +/-4.8. 30 min of exposure of cells to a hypoxic environment (equivalent to a nonventilated, perfused alveolus) caused significant reductions of NAD(+)/NADH in both compartments. Re-exposure of hypoxic cells to air produced a change toward normal in cytoplasmic NAD(+)/NADH but did not reverse mitochondrial abnormality. Uncertainties concerning the value of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial pH under control conditions and during experimental pertubations, limit absolute interpretation of NAD(+)/NADH ratios calculated from redox pairs, but the data suggest the following: (a) separate cytoplasmic and mitochondrial compartments for NAD(+) and NADH exist in the alveolar macrophage; (b) brief periods of exposure to moderate hypoxia of the degree seen in clinical lung disease produce decreases in both cytoplasmic and mitochondrial NAD(+)/NADH; (c) the mitochondrial changes are less easily reversed than the cytoplasmic changes; (d) measurements of NAD(+)/NADH provide an early sensitive indication of biochemical abnormality; and (e) careful control of extracellular pH is required in studies involving experimental modifications of alveolar macrophage function.

Effects of chrysotile and acid-treated chrysotile on macrophage cultures

Beck, E. G., Holt, P. F., and Nasrallah, E. T. (1971).Brit. J. industr. Med.,28, 179-185. Effects of chrysotile and acid-treated chrysotile on macrophage cultures. The addition of chrysotile asbestos to monolayer cultures of peritoneal and alveolar macrophages produces an increase in membrane permeability, as measured by eosin uptake and lactic dehydrogenase activity of the supernatant fluid. The lactate synthesis is increased, however. It is suggested that the permeability of the cell membrane is increased while dust particles are being phagocytosed, which may take several hours when the particles are fibrous, but that this does not imply cell damage. Treatment of chrysotile with acid, which leaves a silica surface, results in a product that reduces lactate synthesis, implying cytotoxicity. This change is counteracted by poly(2-vinyl-pyridine 1-oxide). The polymer does not affect the properties of the native chrysotile.

Comparative physiologial studies of the yeast and mycelial forms of Histoplasma capsulaum: uptake and incorporation of L-leucine

l-Leucine entered the cells of both morphological forms of Histoplasma capsulatum by a permease-like system at low external concentrations of substrate. However, at levels greater than 5 x 10(-5)m l-leucine, the amino acid entered the cells both through a simple diffusion-like process and the permease-like system. The rate of the amino acid diffusion into yeast and mycelial forms appeared to be the same, whereas the initial rate of accumulation through the permease-like system was 5 to 10 times faster in the mycelial phase than it was in the yeast phase. The Michaelis constants were 2.2 x 10(-5)m in yeast phase and 2 x 10(-5)m in mycelial phase cells. Transport of l-leucine at an external concentration of 10(-5)m showed all of the characteristics of a system of active transport, which was dependent on temperature and pH. Displacement or removal of the alpha-amino group, or modification of the alpha-carboxyl group abolished amino acid uptake. The process was competitively inhibited by neutral aliphatic side-chain amino acids (inhibition constants ranged from 1.5 x 10(-5) to 6.2 x 10(-5)m). Neutral aromatic side-chain amino acids and the d-isomers of leucine and valine did not inhibit l-leucine uptake. These data were interpreted to mean that the l-leucine transport system is stereospecific and is highly specific for neutral aliphatic side-chain amino acids. Incorporation of l-leucine into macromolecules occurred at almost the same rate in both morphological forms of the fungus. The mycelial phase but not the yeast phase showed a slight initial lag in incorporation. In both morphological forms the intracellular pool of l-leucine was of limited capacity, and the total uptake of the amino acid was a function of intracellular pool size. The initial rate of l-leucine uptake was independent of the level of intracellular pool. Both morphological forms deaminated and degraded only a minor fraction of the accumulated leucine.

Human alveolar macrophages: comparison of phagocytic ability, glucose utilization, and ultrastructure in smokers and nonsmokers

Phagocytic ability, glucose utilization, and ultrastructural morphology were studied in human alveolar macrophages in smokers and nonsmokers. The macrophages were obtained by bronchopulmonary lavage and the studies were carried out in vitro in the absence of smoke. Phagocytic ability was measured as the decrease in the number of viable Staphylococcus albus organisms incubated with the macrophages. Measurements of (14)CO(2) formation from glucose-U-(14)C were made in a resting state. 90-95% of the cells obtained by lavage were large mononuclear macrophages of which approximately 90% remained viable at the end of the experiment. Smokers yielded many more macrophages per lavage (mean 46.4 x 10(6) +/-7.4) compared to the nonsmokers (mean 10.2 x 10(6) +/-2.3). The decline in viable organisms was the same in each group, indicating phagocytic competence of alveolar macrophages removed from smokers. However, the mean glucose utilization for the smokers was 4.3 +/-0.2 mmumoles/10(6) cells and 1.4 +/-0.7 mmumoles/10(6) cells for the nonsmokers. This very significant difference (P < 0.0001) suggests that smokers' macrophages have a higher resting energy requirement than those of nonsmokers. Comparison of the ultrastructural morphology of the alveolar macrophages from each group reveals that the cells from smokers differ from those of nonsmokers in that they are slightly larger, and contain more golgi vesicles, endoplasmic reticulum, and residual bodies. The residual bodies in smokers' cells contain distinctive fiber-like inclusions.

Antibody-mediated suppression of the immune response in vitro. I. Evidence for a central effect

Antibody-mediated suppression of the in vitro immune response to polymerized flagellin of Salmonella adelaide and to sheep erythrocytes was studied at the cellular level. Normal mouse spleen cells, preincubated in vitro with mixtures of antigen and antibody for short periods of time before being washed, did not respond to an optimal antigenic challenge in vitro, whereas similar cells treated with antibody alone gave a normal response. The degree of immune suppression was found to depend on the time of preincubation. Significant immune suppression could be induced in as short a time as 15 min, whereas profound suppression (90%) required the incubation of cells with mixtures of antigen and antibody for 4-6 hr. Mouse spleen cells treated similarly were also unable to respond subsequently to the antigen upon transfer to lethally irradiated hosts, as measured at both the level of the antigen-reactive cell and that of serum antibody production. These results were taken as evidence that in vitro an effect of antibody-mediated suppression occurred at the level of the immunocompetent cell. Similarities between immune tolerance and antibody-mediated suppression in vitro were described, and the significance of the findings discussed in the light of current concepts of the mechanism of antibody-mediated suppression.

Some derivatives of polyvinylpyridine 1-oxides and their effect on the cytotoxicity of quartz in macrophage cultures

1. Poly(2-vinylpyridine 1-oxide) counteracts the pathogenic effects normally produced when quartz is injected into or inhaled by animals and the cytotoxic effects when quartz is added to macrophage cultures. The protective action of this polymer has been attributed variously to the formation of an adsorbed layer on the quartz particles, complex formation with monosilicic acid produced by the dissolution of quartz, and strengthening of the membranes or microstructures of the cells.2. Stereoregular forms of poly(2-vinylpyridine 1-oxide), some alkyl derivatives of poly(2-vinylpyridine 1-oxide), poly(3-vinylpyridine 1-oxide) and poly(4-vinylpyridine 1-oxide), a copolymer of 2-vinylpyridine 1-oxide and 2-n-propenylpyridine 1-oxide, some poly(1-methyl-2-vinylpyridinium) quaternary salts, and poly(1-methoxy-2-vinylpyridinium iodide), which had previously been synthesized and studied with respect to their viscosities and interaction with silicic acid, were tested for their ability to counteract the cytotoxic effects of quartz in macrophage cultures. The tests were effected both by pretreating the quartz with polymers, and by pretreating the cells.3. Every polymer proved active in one or other of these conditions, but several were active in one test but inactive in the other. Some polymer quaternary salts, which do not contain the N-oxide group, were found to be active. A remarkable difference in activity was found between the two stereoregular forms of poly(2-vinylpyridine 1-oxide). Pretreatment of the quartz with some of the polymers increased its cytotoxicity significantly.4. Most of the results could be interpreted on the hypothesis that the polymers form an adsorbed layer on the quartz surface, but it is difficult to apply this explanation to two polymers which are inactive when used to pretreat the macrophages but are active when adsorbed on quartz.

Vital staining of Mycoplasma and L-forms with Chlorazol Black E

Vital staining of Mycoplasma colonies was attempted because other dye visualization techniques kill the organisms and preclude reisolation for further studies. The lipophilic amphoteric dye Chlorazol Black E (CBE) was the most successful of 14 vital dyes tested on Mycoplasma hominis, M. pharyngis, M. fermentans, M. arthritidis, M. salivarium, M. pneumoniae, and L-forms of Staphylococcus aureus when used in 1:1,000 (w/v) saline dilution as the sterile suspension medium for inoculation of Hayflick's medium under both aerobic and microaerophilic (Fortner method) conditions. Colonies of all species stain homogeneously in the periphery and center portion, the latter being more refractive under positive phase contrast. All stained colonies were successfully subcultured. The most striking and promising result of the use of CBE as a tool for physiological study of Mycoplasma was a very significant increase in diameter of all colonies except those of M. pneumoniae grown with CBE: 1.5 x for M. hominis and 5 x for L-form S. aureus. This size increase in M. hominis is proportional to the concentration down to a 1:50,000 dilution only under microaerophilic conditions. Whether this increase in colony size is due to an increased number of cells, to larger cells, or to the adsorption of CBE on the lipid membrane is unknown at present.

Immunological tolerance in vitro: kinetic studies at the cellular level

When normal mouse spleen, cells in suspension are cultured in vitro in the presence of polymer from S. adelaide flagellin, an immune response can be obtained as measured at the level of single antibody-forming cells. Cultures were stimulated with different doses of antigen, ranging from 0.2 ng to 3 microg/ml of tissue culture fluid and it was found that the peak number of approximately 500 antibody-forming cells per 10(6) harvested cells by day 4 was antigen dose dependent, 2-20 ng/ml being the optimal concentration. When more than 1 microg/ml of polymer from S. adelaide together with either 20 ng/ml of polymer from S. waycross or with 4 x 10(6) sheep erythrocytes were placed in the system, unresponsiveness to S. adelaide, but immunity to the other antigens occurred simultaneously. Cells made immunologically tolerant in vitro to S. adelaide H antigens were transferred into syngeneic lethally irradiated recipients and challenged with the same antigen. The adoptive immune capacity in these mice, as measured at the level of the immunologically competent cell was reduced by 80-90% as compared with relevant controls. Attempts to induce low zone tolerance in vitro were without success. To study the kinetics of tolerance induction in vitro, cells were cultured with tolerogenic doses of antigen for various periods of time, washed, and subsequently cultured with immunogenic doses of antigen for 4 days. It was found, that immunological tolerance may be induced to a significant degree in vitro within a period of 15 min. Similar results were obtained when spleen cells were exposed for various lengths of time to tolerogenic doses of antigen but at a temperature of 4 degrees C instead of 37 degrees C. The results are taken as suggestive evidence that the initial step in tolerance induction is related to the direct interaction between the surface of immune competent cells and antigen molecules.

In vivo inactivation of lysozyme by ozone

Bronchial mucus contains large quantities of the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme. Acutely exposing mice or rabbits to ozone reduced the amount of active lysozyme obtainable by bronchopulmonary lavage. The effect was proportional to ozone concentration, as well as to duration of exposure. Enzyme activity returned to normal levels during the 12 hr following exposure. Ozone (5 muliters/liter; 5 parts per million) for 3 hr reduced lysozyme levels approximately 30%. Studies of the release of lysozyme by alveolar cells support the theory that loss of activity is due to in vivo oxidation of lysozyme.

Serum-mediated immune cellular responses to Brucella melitensis. I. Role of a macrophage-stimulating factor in promoting ingestion of Brucella by streptomycin-protected cells

Injection of rabbits with living Brucella melitensis Rev I induced the appearance of a macrophage-stimulating-factor (MSF) in the sera of these animals. MSF was involved in ingestion of bacilli, hastening the formation of protected loci as measured by the addition of lethal amounts of dihydrostreptomycin. When sufficient time had been allowed for effective ingestion, streptomycin had little effect. This in turn allowed for multiplication of bacilli intracellularly in the presence of 5 to 250 mug of drug per ml. MSF mediated more effective ingestion by both immune and normal macrophages. Under such conditions, there was little, if any, intracellular growth restriction by macrophages from immune animals. The activity appeared within the first 5 days after injection with 10(9) organisms and was present for several months. Three weeks after injection, the activity of serum was partially heat-labile. All activity was removed by absorption with heat-killed or living Rev I cells, suggesting that a specific globulin is concerned.

Simultaneous synthesis of DNA and specialized cellular products by differentiating cartilage cells in vitro

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Histotypic reaggregation of dissociated imaginal disc cells ofDrosophila melanogaster culturedin vivo

Cell dissociates of wing and leg imaginal discs perform, culturedin vivo, disc specific morphogenetic movements leading to their aggregation into layers and vesicles. These histological patterns correspond directly with the final cuticular patterns which appear after metamorphosis of the same implants.The reaggregation into layers is achieved before the entry of the blastems into metamorphosis, and reflects the existence of traits of differentiation in the isolated imaginal disc cells.The bearing of selective affinity and reaggregation on cell differentiation of imaginal discs cells is discussed.