Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) in BCG-sensitized mice I. Lack of suppressor T cell activity on DTH to sheep red blood cells.

Mice pretreated with an intravenous (i.v.) injection of BCG (BCG-sensitized mice) and then immunized intravenously with a high dose (10(8)--10(9)) of sheep red blood cells (SRBC) 2 weeks later developed strong delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to SRBC, as in mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide (CY) (CY-treated mice) and then immunized with SRBC 2 days later; normal mice given the same dose of SRBC did not show such DTH. The mechanism of this strong DTH to SRBC which developed in BCG-sensitized mice was studied, by comparing it with that in CY-treated mice. The transfer of either whole spleen cells or thymus cells, but not serum, obtained from mice immunized with i.v. injections of 10(9) SRBC 4 days previously (hyperimmune mice) did not suppress either the induction or the expression of DTH to SRBC in BCG-sensitized mice, but suppressed those in CY-treated mice. The suppressor cells were SRBC-specific T cells. Adoptive transfer of DTH to SRBC by spleen cells from either BCG-sensitized mice of CY-treated mice to hyperimmune recipients failed. The adoptive transfer of DTH from BCG-sensitized mice to normal recipients also failed if the spleen cells from hyperimmune mice were cotransferred. Whole body irradiation (600 rad) of mice 2 hr before or after the time of immunization with SRBC reduced significantly DTH to SRBC in both BCG-sensitized and CY-treated mice. It was noticed that the total number of spleen cells in BCG-sensitized mice was 3--4 times larger than that in CY-treated mice. From these results, we conclude that the entity of effector T cells of DTH to SRBC induced in BCG-sensitized mice and in CY-treated mice was not different in terms of susceptibility to suppressor T cells and irradiation, but that the total numbers of effector T cells generated in these mice differed remarkably, resulting in the above-described different responsiveness to suppressor T cells transferred passively.     

Failure of athymic-nude mice sensitized with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin to produce interferon in response to purified protein derivative

Unlike their +/+ and nu/+ littermates, homozygous athymic-nude (nu/nu) mice that had been sensitized with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) failed to produce interferon (IFN) in response to purified protein derivative (PPD). Likewise, spleen cells derived from BCG-sensitized nu/nu mice failed to produce IFN when exposed to PPD in vitro. These findings suggest that the T-cell subset that responds to specific antigens (i.e., PPD) is absent in athymic-nude mice.     

Interferon and cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) released in the blood of mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. III. Interferon and cytotoxin induced by the specific antigen as compared with those induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

The time course of development and decline of the ability of BCG-infected mice to produce interferon in the serum in response to the intravenous infection of purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) was very similar to that of their systemic hypersensitivity to PPD. A cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) was produced in parallel with interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD. The duration of the period in which cytotoxin-production responsiveness to PPD was definitely detectable was much shorter than that for interferon-production responsiveness although the periods for the maximum production of interferon and cytotoxin coincided. The kinetics of release of interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD did not parallel that of release of cytotoxin. The four kinds of activities, interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the serum of BCG-infected mice, were compared for their stability to heating at 56 C and to treatment at pH 2. The kinetics of inactivation of these four activities differed significantly, when the serum was either heated at 56 C or treated at pH 2. Interferon produced in response to LPS could be neutralized by anti-L cell(NDV) interferon rabbit serum as easily as L cell (NDV) interferon, 16 times as much antiserum was required to neutralize the same amount of interferon in response to PPD, but cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS were not neutralized at all by the antiserum. From these findings it is thought likely that interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS in the serum of BCG-infected mice are different substances, although the antigenic relationship between cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS remains unknown.     

Interferon: a mediator of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase induction by lipopolysaccharide, poly(I) X poly(C), and pokeweed mitogen in mouse lung

When C3H/He mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide, poly(I) X poly(C), or pokeweed mitogen, the serum interferon titer increased almost instantaneously (100-2000 units/ml), and then the pulmonary indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase was induced 50- to 140-fold. The peaks corresponding to interferon induction always preceded (approximately 24 h) those corresponding to dioxygenase induction. In C3H/HeJ (lipopolysaccharide-nonresponder) mice, however, lipopolysaccharide was totally inert in induction of both interferon and dioxygenase, although treatment with poly(I) X poly(C) and pokeweed mitogen led to a remarkable increase in the serum interferon titer and the enzyme activity. When lymphocytes of C3H/HeJ mice were inactivated by X irradiation and then reconstituted by the transfer of spleen cells from C3H/He mice, both enzyme and interferon from C3H/HeJ mice thus treated were induced almost normally after the lipopolysaccharide treatment. In addition, murine interferon alpha/beta, which was injected intravenously in C3H/He or C3H/HeJ mice, almost instantaneously and dose-dependently induced the pulmonary enzyme, and at a dose of 10(5) units per mouse the enzyme activity was enhanced 20- to 26-fold in these two strains of mice. These results suggest that interferon, which is generated by the interaction of lymphocytes with lipopolysaccharide, poly(I) X poly(C), or pokeweed mitogen, is a mediator of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase induction in the mouse lung by these agents.     

In vitro and in vivo interferon production in NOD mice

The production of interferon-alpha/beta (INF-alpha/beta) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in NOD and ICR mice was studied in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro IFN-alpha/beta production in the spleen cells of NOD mice, which were stimulated with either Newcastle disease virus (NDV), Sendai virus, poly(I:C) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS), was very similar to the IFN-alpha/beta production in the spleen cells of ICR mice. Contrastingly, the in vitro IFN-gamma production in the spleen cells of NOD mice, which were stimulated with either concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM), was greater than the IFN-gamma production in spleen cells of ICR mice. The in vivo IFN-alpha/beta production in NOD mice induced by NDV was also very similar to that in ICR mice, whereas the in vivo IFN-gamma production in the BCG-sensitized NOD mice, which was induced by purified protein derivative (PPD), was greater than that in the ICR mice. These results may indicate that NOD mice have abnormalities on the IFN-gamma production.     

The augmentation of tumor-specific immunity using haptenic muramyl dipeptide (MDP) derivatives

Summary Preinduction of potent haptenic muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-reactive helper T cell activity and subsequent immunization with MDP hapten-coupled syngeneic tumor cells resulted in enhanced induction of tumor-specific immunity through T-T cell collaboration between anti-MDP hapten helper T cells and tumor-specific effector T cells. The present study establishes two types of tumor-specific immunotherapy protocols utilizing helper T cells against MDP hapten cross-reactive with Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG). In the first model, naive normal C3H/He mice or mice in which MDP hapten-reactive helper T cells had been generated by BCG-sensitization were inoculated i.d. with syngeneic X5563 tumor cells. When both groups of mice were allowed to generate MDP hapten-modified tumor cells in the tumor mass in situ by intratumoral injection of MDP hapten, an appreciable number of growing tumors in the BCG-presensitized but not in the unsensitized group were observed to regress. In the second model, a growing X5563 tumor mass was removed by the surgical resection 9 days after the tumor implantation. Approximately 90% of C3H/He mice receiving such treatment died from tumor metastasis by about 30 days after the tumor resection. However, immunization of mice with MDP hapten-coupled X5563 tumor cells subsequent to the tumor resection resulted in an increased survival rate. Such protection from the tumor metastasis was appreciably stronger when compared to the protection obtained by immunization with MDP hapten-uncoupled tumor cells. The mice surviving in both models were also demonstrated to retain X5563 tumor-specific immunity. These results indicate that the presentation of MDP hapten-modified tumor cells to BCG-sensitized recipients results in potent tumor-specific immunity which contributes to the regression of the primary tumor or inhibition of metastatic tumor growth.This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for the Special Project Cancer Bioscience from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan     

The micronucleus test and erythropoiesis: effects of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) on micronucleus formation

The aim of this study was to determine the mechanism of the rodent bone marrow micronucleus test in relation to erythropoiesis. We have previously reported that an acceleration of erythropoiesis increases the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MPCE) induced by mutagens. The blood plasma erythropoietin level increased after the injection of N6-2-O-dibutyladenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate into adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) at a dose of 500 mg/kg. A peak of erythropoietin induction was observed 3 h after the injection of cAMP. cAMP itself did not induce any micronuclei in erythroblasts of BALB/c mice. So, the frequency of MPCE did not increase after injection of cAMP. The highest frequency of MPCE and the dose-response relationship between the cAMP doses and micronucleus frequency were observed 30 h after injection of mitomycin C (MMC) in mice which had been administered cAMP 24 h previously. The highest effect of cAMP on the increase of MPCE was observed when cAMP was given 24 h before MMC injection, thus indicating that accelerating the multiplication of erythroblasts increases the frequency of MPCE induced by mutagens. The induction of MPCE in the bone marrow by three other chemicals (carboquone, 5-fluorouracil, and vincristine) also increased after pretreatment with cAMP. Our results suggest that the increase of MPCE induced by mutagens can be amplified following the acceleration of erythropoiesis by pretreatment with cAMP.     

Increase in the sensitivity of leukemia cells, incubated in interferon, to the effect of immune serum]

L-1210 AND P-388 leukemic cells were incubated in three types of interferon, i.e. L-cell interferon and two types of lymphocyte interferon (induced in the lymph node lymphocytes of intact mice and the lymphocytes obtained on the 10th day after intraperitoneal injections of 5-10(7) L-1210 cells). "False" interferon obtained by the method analogous to that of obtaining L-cell interferon, excluding the viral induction, was used for control. Cells incubated in interferon proved to be more sensitive to the action of the cytotoxic antibodies than those treated with "false" interferon. Treatment of the cells with lymphocytic interferon induced on the lymphocytes of immune mice increased their sensitivity even more in comparison with the cells treated with interferon obtained from intact mice.     

Effects of butyrate on induction and action of interferon

We have identified two different and independent effects of sodium butyrate on induction and action of interferon. In the monkey cell line, GL-V3, simultaneous treatment with interferon and butyrate strongly reduced the antiviral activity of the interferon preparation, Whereas addition of butyrate before interferon or after establishment of the antiviral state had no effect. Interferon production induced by Sendai virus was also reduced by simultaneous treatment with butyrate, but pretreatment resulted in marked enhancement of interferon yields. Whereas the inhibitory effects of simultaneous butyrate treatment were also observed in human (WISH) and bovine (MDBK) cells, pretreatment with butyrate in these cells had no effect on interferon yields.     

Induction of interferon and activation of NK cells and macrophages in mice by oral administration of Ge-132, an organic germanium compound

After oral administration of an organic germanium compound, Ge-132 (300 mg/kg), a significant level of interferon (IFN) activity was detected in the sera of mice at 20 hr and it reached a maximum of 320 U/ml at 24 hr. This IFN activity was lost after heat- or acid-treatment, suggesting that the induced IFN is of gamma-nature. The molecular weight of this IFN was estimated to be 50,000 daltons by gel filtration. The NK activity of spleen cells was increased 24 hr after the oral administration of Ge-132, and cytotoxic macrophages were induced in the peritoneal cavity by 48 hr. In the mice receiving an intraperitoneal (ip) injection of trypan blue or carrageenan 2 days before oral administration of Ge-132, neither induction of IFN nor augmentation of NK activity occurred, and X-ray irradiation of mice also rendered the mice incapable of producing IFN, all indicating that both macrophages and lymphocytes are required for this IFN induction. Both NK and cytotoxic macrophages appeared 18 hr after ip administration of the induced IFN with a titer as low as 20 U/ml. These facts suggest that both the augmentation of NK activity and activation of macrophages in mice after oral administration of Ge-132 are mediated by the induced IFN.     

Protection by polyI:polyC against infection with herpes simplex virus in mice pretreated with Corynebacterium parvum

The effect of Corynebacterium parvum on the protection by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:polyC) against lethal infection with Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV) was studied in mice. Pretreatment with C. parvum resulted in prolonged survival times in all experiments. One third of the mice survived an infection with 100 LD50, whereas all mice died when treated with polyI:polyC alone. Increased protection was observed up to 6 weeks after pretreatment and only seen when both C. parvum and polyI:polyC were given at the same site of injection (intraperitoneally). Protection against HSV correlated with increased interferon (IFN) activities induced by polyI:polyC in the peritoneal cavity of C. parvum-pretreated mice. In these mice, natural killer cell activity of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) was also augmented in response to polyI:polyC. Protection was markedly decreased by intraperitoneal injection of silica or of an antiserum against murine IFN. It appears that increased local levels of IFN presumably produced by macrophages in response to polyI:polyC in C. parvum-pretreated mice play the major role in the antiviral defence in our model and that activation of NK cells may be a secondary effect of IFN.     

CpG oligodeoxynucleotide induction of antiviral effector molecules in sheep

Immunostimulatory CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) can protect mice against infection by many pathogens but the mechanisms mediating disease protection are not well defined. Furthermore, the mechanisms of CpG ODN induced disease protection in vivo have not been investigated in other species. We investigated the induction of antiviral effector molecules in sheep treated with a class B CpG ODN (2007). Subcutaneous injection of ODN 2007 induced a dose-dependent increase in serum levels of the antiviral effector molecule, 2'5'-A synthetase. Peak levels of enzyme were observed 4 days following ODN injection and enzyme levels remained elevated for the following 3-5 days. Repeated ODN injections induced a more sustained elevation of serum 2'5'-A synthetase activity. Finally, formulation of ODN 2007 in emulsigen increased the level of serum 2'5'-A synthetase activity and this response was CpG-specific. Elevated serum 2'5'-A synthetase activity suggested that CpG ODN acted through the induction of either interferon (IFN)-alpha or IFN-gamma. ODN 2007 did not induce detectable levels of IFN-alpha or IFN-gamma when incubated with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, but both IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma were detected following stimulation of lymph node cells with ODN 2007. CpG ODN induction of 2'5'-A synthetase in vitro correlated with the secretion of both IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining of skin revealed a marked cellular infiltration at the site of ODN 2007 injection. This cellular infiltration was CpG-specific and consisted of primarily CD172(+) myeloid cells. Many of the cells recruited to the site of ODN 2007 injection expressed IFN-alpha and some IFN-gamma. These observations support the conclusion that localized cell recruitment and activation contribute to CpG ODN induction of antiviral effector molecules, such as interferon and 2'5'-A synthetase.     

Strain variation in interferon gamma production of BCG-sensitized mice challenged with PPD II. Importance of one major autosomal locus and additional sexual influences

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in BCG-sensitized mice challenged with PPD was examined in the sera from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice produce about ten times more IFN-gamma than BALB/c mice. Studies on F1, F2, and backcross generations indicate that one partially dominant autosomal locus is involved. Furthermore, females consistently produce more IFN-gamma than males in all of these crosses, though the X chromosome cannot be held responsible for this.     

Interferon and cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) released in the blood of mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. I. Enhanced production of interferon and appearance of cytotoxin stimulated by capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae or bacterial lipopolysaccharide.

Interferon production stimulated by the active substance (neutral fraction) of the capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae (neutral CPS-K) in BCG-infected mice was compared with that by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Prior infection with BCG increased the responsiveness of mice to the lethal effect of neutral CPS-K as well as to that of LPS. Associated with this, BCG-infected mice showed a markedly enhanced ability to produce interferon after stimulation not only by LPS but also by neutral CPS-K. In addition, a cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) was found to be released in the serum of BCG-infected mice after injection of these inducers. The kinetics of production of interferon and cytotoxin stimulated by neutral CPS-K were very similar to those stimulated by LPS. The time pattern of cytotoxin production was not in parallel with that of interferon production. Interferon reached a peak 2 hr and cytotoxin 3 hr after injection with these inducers. Interferon and cytotoxin produced by neutral CPS-K showed essentially the same stabilities to heating at 56 C and to treatment at pH 2 respectively as those produced by LPS. Interferon was inactivated by heating at 56 C more rapidly than cytotoxin. Cytotoxin was inactivated by treatment at pH 2 for 24 hr, whereas interferon activity was well preserved after this treatment. These results suggest that both activities are the result of different substances.     

Stimulating effect of aminoethylisothiuronium on the immune response and interferonogenesis in irradiated mice

Aminoethylisothiuronium (AET) stimulated the formation of antibodies against sheep erythrocytes, not against E. coli, in X-irradiated (4 Gy) mice. The serum containing AET-induced interferon had the same effect. AET also promoted the rejection of the allogenic skin graft in mice irradiated with the same dose. In addition, AET and cystaphos stimulated the induction of interferon by the Newcastle disease virus in mice exposed to doses of 4, 5 or 6 Gy.     

Induction of lymph follicle formation with several mitogens and adjuvants in the mouse popliteal lymph node

The formation of lymph follicles in draining popliteal nodes was investigated in young adult male mice which had been injected in the rear footpad with several mitogens and adjuvants, and killed after 3-21 days. PPD (100 micrograms-1 mg) and PHA (25-500 micrograms) induced germinal centers in association with existing follicles and mild plasmacytosis, but failed to produce new follicles in draining nodes. Endotoxin LPS (50-200 micrograms), Con A (50 micrograms-1 mg) and PWM (50 micrograms-1 mg) induced germinal centers within existing follicles and plasmacytosis, and also produced new follicles which soon developed germinal centers. Both Freund's complete and incomplete adjuvants (FCA and FICA, 25 microliters) induced virtually no germinal centers and plasmacytosis, but produced a significant number of new primary follicles. Poly (A, U) (600 micrograms) produced neither germinal centers nor plasmacytosis, and did not induce new follicles. Analysis of the distribution of lymphoid cells which had incorporated 3H-thymidine in the draining nodes at 3 days after the injection of test substances indicated that PPD, PHA, LPS, Con A and PWM preferentially stimulated in vivo the same types of lymphocytes as they do in vitro. FCA triggered lymphocyte activation in the deep cortex, whereas Poly (A, U) appeared not to stimulate lymphocytes in vivo. In further experiments, induction of lymph follicles with artificially precipitated PPD and PHA was studied. The draining nodes treated with alum-precipitated PPD or PHA were found to produce a significant number of new follicles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibition by interferon (alpha + beta) of mouse liver regeneration and its reversal by putrescine

Mouse interferon (alpha + beta) given to mice by intraperitoneal injection suppressed both the accumulation of putrescine and stimulation of DNA synthesis in liver caused by partial hepatectomy. The suppression of DNA synthesis was completely reversed by exogenous putrescine. The same results were obtained when core 2',5'-oligoadenylate instead of interferon was given to partially hepatectomized mice. These results suggest that interferon inhibits putrescine formation through elevating the 2',5'-oligoadenylate level and thus inhibits DNA synthesis in the regenerating liver.     

Mechanism for induction of anti-DNA antibodies by bacterial lipopolysaccharides in mice; II. Correlation between anti-DNA induction and polyclonal antibody formation by various polyclonal B lymphocyte activators.

The capacity of various polyclonal B lymphocyte activators (PBA) to induce, in mice, the formation of anti-DNA antibodies was compared with their ability to mediate the release of DNA in circulating blood and to stimulate polyclonal antibody synthesis in vivo. Anti-DNA antibodies or polyclonal antibody synthesis were induced in mice after the injection of at least 10 microgram lipopolysaccaride (LPS) from Salmonella typhimurium, 1 mg dextran sulfate (DS), or 2 mg purified protein derivative of tubercle bacteria RT32 (PPD). Smaller quantities of LPS (0.1 microgram) or DS (500 microgram) were sufficient to cause the release of DNA in circulating blood, whereas PPD was not able to provoke such a release at any concentration used. The association of anti-DNA antibodies with polyclonal antibody synthesis in mice injected with various PBA contrasts with the lack of correlation between the formation of anti-DNA antibodies and the release of measurable amounts of DNA in circulating blood. These results strongly suggest that the induction of anti-DNA antibodies by PBA is a consequence of the polyclonal B lymphocyte activation.     

Induction of immune interferon in mice treated with a bacterial immunopotentiator,OK-432

Summary When a bacterial immunopotentiator, OK-432, was injected to intact DDI mice, a viral inhibitor with the properties of immune interferon (IF) was induced in the circulation. The maximum titer of antiviral activity (10,240 units/ml) was observed 24 h after intraperitoneal (IP) injection of 50 KE OK-432/kg body weight. The possibility that the induction of immune IF may depend upon the action of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes and macrophages was inferred from experiments with thymus-defective nude mice and DDI mice treated with either X-rays or immunosuppressive agents.     

The inhibitory effect of T-2 toxin on tolerance induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice.

Mice injected intravenously with 1 X 10(9) sheep red blood cells (SRBC) showed no delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to SRBC and were unresponsive to DTH induction by sc injection of an optimal dose of SRBC. However, when treated with T-2 toxin, a mycotoxin, 2 days after the iv injection, mice became to show significant DTH response and to be responsive to the DTH induction by the sc injection. When the spleen cells of the mice receiving the iv injection were transferred to unsensitized syngeneic recipients, the DTH response of the recipients to SRBC was suppressed. However, the suppressor activity of the spleen cells was decreased by T-2 toxin treatment. By the iv injection, cell population of the spleen was increased and that of the thymus decreased. In contrast, by T-2 toxin treatment 2 days after the iv injection, cell population of the spleen was not increased and that of the thymus was markedly decreased. The ratio of theta-bearing cells was increased in the spleen by the iv injection. However, such increase was not observed after the T-2 toxin treatment. The ratio of Ig-bearing cells in the spleen was not changed by the iv injection and the T-2 toxin treatment after the iv injection. T-2 toxin seems to interfere with generation of suppressor cells for the DTH response.