[On the chemical constitution of an antigenic lipo-polysaccharide extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis var. hominis]

Role of thymus for N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine-induced polyarthritis and granuloma formation in euthymic and athymic nude rats or in neonatally thymectomized rats

A synthetic adjuvant, N-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (MDP), produced extremely severe polyarthritis with almost 100% incidence in Rowett euthymic rnu/+ rats, but the same dose of MDP (100 microgram) did not produce the disease in athymic rnu/rnu rats. Five hundred micrograms of MDP or 0.2 mg of heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis BCG, however, produced mild and transient polyarthritis in nude rats with very low incidence. We have not yet succeeded in reconstituting the disease susceptibility of nude rats by using thymus cells from normal rnu/+ rats. After intradermal inoculation of 100 microgram of MDP, nude rats developed small granulomas with a little necrosis and very few multinucleated giant cells only in the regional lymph nodes, whereas, in addition to the development of polyarthritis, euthymic rnu/+ rats developed typical granuloma with massive necrosis accompanied by numerous polymorphonuclear leukocytes and sparse multinucleated giant cells in the regional lymph nodes. Thymus cell-reconstituted rnu/rnu rats developed granuloma with sparse giant cells, relatively large areas of necrosis, and many polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Neonatal thymectomy may depress adjuvant-induced arthritis in the high-responder Lewis rats and enhance the disease development in the low-responder F344 rats. These findings suggested that (i) thymus plays an important role in promoting the development of MDP-induced arthritis; (ii) MDP-induced granuloma formation does not require thymus functions; (iii) the thymus functions may however be involved in the development of massive necrosis surrounded by considerable polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration, the mechanisms of which remain to be determined; and (iv) there is no direct correlation between granuloma formation and development of adjuvant arthritis.

Characterization of the group antigen of Chlamydia trachomatis

A lipid complement-fixing group antigen is shared by all chlamydiae including trachoma organisms. A water-soluble polysaccharide antigen was obtained by alkali saponification from partially purified water-insoluble lipid antigen preparations made from three trachoma strains. The extracted antigen failed to fix complement with antibody but was capable, as a hapten, of inhibiting complement fixation by prior reaction with the antibody. This antigen diffused readily in agarose, producing a reaction of identity with several trachoma strains. The antigen could also be absorbed onto untreated rabbit red blood cells for passive hemagglutination. It is concluded that polysaccharide antigen is responsible for the group reactivity of these organisms and can be obtained from the lipid antigen by alkali saponification.

Inhibition of the Synthesis of Wax D Peptidoglycolipid of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by d-Cycloserine

The antibiotic d-cycloserine inhibits the synthesis of the wax D peptidoglycolipid in cells of the H37Ra strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This inhibition occurs at a lower concentration of the drug than that required for the inhibition of growth. The inhibition is completely reversed by d-alanine. An arabino-galactan-galactosamine-(diaminopimelic acid)-mycolate accumulates in H37Ra cells exposed to the antibiotic. The chemical and functional group analyses of this lipid suggests it to be a possible precursor to the synthesis of wax D.

Wax D fraction of an unclassified Mycobacterium strain

Wax D prepared from the P-6 strain of the scotochromogenic species of Mycobacterium scrofulaceum constituted 0.3% of the dry bacilli. In the acid hydrolysates, alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, and mesodiaminopimelic acid were found as amino acid constituents. Mannose, galactose, and glucosamine were detected by paper chromatography. However, arabinose could not be detected. The quantity of hexosamine was 0.2 to 0.3%. Wax D of P-6 was found to be adjuvant-active, as revealed by a positive corneal reaction. The antigenicity of wax D of P-6 was shown by the agglutination reaction between the suspension of wax D and the anti-wax D antiserum. Periodate oxidation of the hydrosoluble portion reduced the inhibitory effect of the hydrosoluble portion on agglutination of the suspension of wax D. The light fraction of wax D had a peptide portion consisting of alanine, glutamic acid, glycine, and diaminopimelic acid and was found to be adjuvant-active in an amount of 1,000 mug.

Mycobacterial polysaccharides. II. Comparison of polysaccharides from strains of four species of mycobacteria

Evidence from chemical and serological studies indicates that a cellular heteropolysaccharide, also found in lipid extracts and culture filtrate, is present as a group antigen in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra and in other strains of mycobacteria representing M. kansasii, scotochromogenic and Battey strains. Polysaccharides from the four strains contain the same main sugars, arabinose, and galactose, as revealed by thin-layer chromatography and spectrophotometric studies. In Ouchterlony gel diffusions, bands of identity are produced between the polysaccharides by using rabbit antiserum prepared against any of the four mycobacteria. Immune adsorption studies also confirm the presence of identical antigenic determinant groups. In skin tests with tuberculopolysaccharide I, a skin reaction of about equal size was elicited in guinea pigs sensitized with either M. tuberculosis H37Ra or heterologous mycobacterial antigens in Freund's incomplete adjuvant. In animals sensitized with M. tuberculosis H37Ra, skin tests with both homologous and heterologous polysaccharides elicited similar responses.