Strain difference in mouse natural killer activity augmented by mouse interferon and poly I.C

The level of natural killer (NK) activity was found to vary considerably among several mouse strains. In vivo and in vitro, interferon (IFN) and IFN inducers have been shown to augment mouse NK activity. C3H/He mice showed high NK activity, DDD/1 and A/J mice low NK activity, and C57BL/6, BALB/c and DBA/2 mice intermediate NK activity after injection with polyinosinic polycytidylic acid (poly I. C.). The same NK activity correlation was observed in nontreated mice, but the NK activities were lower compared with the poly I. C.-injected mice. Moreover, the DDD/1 and A/J mice showed almost no augmentation of NK activity on injection with poly I.C. In vivo, C3H/He, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice injected with IFN showed augmented NK activity, but DDD/1 mice showed no such reaction. In vitro, C3H/He, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mouse spleen cells treated with IFN also showed augmented NK activity, but DDD/1 mouse spleen cells showed almost none. F1 hybrids between high (C3H/He) and low (DDD/1) NK-activity strains showed high NK activity. Thus, activity is dominant over low activity. The segregation of (DDD/1 X C3H/He) Fl X DDD/1 back-cross mice suggested that the strain differences in NK activity are under polygenic control.     

Modulation of IL 2-dependent growth of mouse NK cells by interferon and T lymphocytes

The regulatory role of interferon (IFN) on the growth of mouse natural killer (NK) cells in the presence of interleukin 2 (IL 2) was analyzed by the limiting dilution assay. Pretreatment for 5 hr with IFN (600 U/ml) was able to augment the frequency of proliferating cells and NK effector cells when spleen cells of BALB/c nu/+ and BALB/c nu/nu were cultured for 7 days in the presence of IL 2. When IFN was present during the 7-day culture period, we again found an increase in proliferative and cytotoxic frequencies in cultures of spleen cells from nude mice, but in contrast, found a decrease in these frequencies in cultures of spleen cells from euthymic mice. Addition of irradiated (3000 R) spleen or thymus feeder cells from euthymic mice to the nu/nu cultures caused an inhibitory activity of IFN also on nu/nu cells. These data indicate that IFN can have both positive and negative regulatory effects on the in vitro growth and differentiation of mouse NK cells and that the inhibitory effects are mediated via T lymphocytes.     

Biological activities of lipopolysaccharide-like substance (LLS) extracted from Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola strain Moulton

The biological activities of lipopolysaccharide-like substance (LLS) extracted from Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola strain Moulton by the hot phenol-water method were studied in mice. The addition of 12.5 micrograms/ml or more of LLS fraction increased the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into in vitro cultured spleen cells of C57BL/6 mice, while the activity of the LLS fraction was about 20 times weaker than that of Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Pretreatment of murine spleen cells with rabbit anti-mouse thymocyte antiserum did not diminish the mitogenic activity of leptospiral LLS, and the LLS could not increase the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into thymocytes, suggesting that LLS acts on a B-lymphocyte population of lymphocytes. When sheep erythrocytes and LLS fraction were injected intraperitoneally into BALB/c mice, LLS exhibited an enhancing effect on antibody response in vivo. However, lethal toxicity of the LLS fraction was about 500 times lower than that of LPS in C57BL/6 mice loaded with galactosamine. No antitumor activity of leptospiral LLS (250-1,000 micrograms/mouse) against the ascites form of Ehrlich carcinoma in ddY mice was observed. The biological activities of the LLS fraction from the organism were weaker than those of gram-negative bacterial LPS, suggesting that Leptospira possesses no typical LPS.     

IFN-beta production by macrophages obtained from mice undergoing graft vs host disease

We have previously shown that when splenocytes are obtained from mice undergoing graft vs host disease (GVHD), and then placed in culture, IFN-beta is produced spontaneously in supernatants without any stimulus. Thus, when B10.D2 spleen cells are injected into sublethally irradiated BALB/c recipient mice, in vitro splenic IFN-beta production is readily apparent between days 10 to 20 post-transplantation. In the present study, experiments were carried out to characterize the cell population(s) responsible for spontaneous IFN-beta production from GVHD spleen cells. Specific antibody and C lysis of selected cell types, including T cells, B cells, and NK cells, failed to abrogate in vitro IFN production. However, IFN-producing cells from GVHD splenocytes were nylon wool adherent and could be isolated using discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation from the upper most large cell fractions. IFN production was also partially resistant to irradiation. Using indirect immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, IFN production was shown to be associated with MAC-1 positive cells. MAC-1 negative splenocytes demonstrated no spontaneous IFN production. Treatment of GVHD spleen cells with silica, a selective toxin for phagocytic cells, resulted in a complete inhibition of IFN production. Thus, in vitro IFN production from GVHD splenocytes appeared to come from cells having a phenotype associated with macrophages. This in vitro IFN production by macrophages represents a unique aspect of GVHD which is not typically found in tissues of normal mice.     

Lipoplexes prepared from cationic liposomes and mammalian DNA induce CpG-independent, direct cytotoxic effects in cell cultures and in mice

BACKGROUND: Recent studies demonstrated the cytotoxic activity of bacterial DNA (pDNA) complexed with cationic lipids. This cytotoxicity is related to the ability of pDNA to induce potently the immune system, which is associated with release of inflammatory cytokines. Both activities seem to be related to the nonmethylated CpG sequences present in the pDNA. Here we study the cytotoxic activity of nonbacterial DNA complexed with cationic lipids against various tumor cell lines. METHODS: Various nucleic acids complexed with cationic liposomes were prepared and their cytotoxic activity was studied in cell cultures and in tumor-bearing mice. Cell uptake of lipoplexes was evaluated, and mechanism of DNA cytotoxic activity was studied. RESULTS: We found that nonbacterial (vertebrate) genomic DNA when complexed with cationic lipids is highly cytotoxic against C-26 and M-109 tumor cells. Cationic lipids alone were not toxic to these cells. The cytotoxic activity does not result from nonspecific acidification of the intracellular milieu, as substitution of DNA by poly-L-glutamate did not result in cytotoxicity, although the level of uptake of anionic charges per cell was similar to that of the nucleic acids, suggesting that this cytotoxic effect is specific to nucleic acids. By studying the nucleic acid fate using confocal microscopy, we found that cytotoxicity correlated with the release of DNA into the cytoplasm following uptake of lipoplexes. Injection of calf thymus DNA-based lipoplexes to mice with peritoneal C-26 metastases resulted in doubling of median survival time and long-term survival in 20% of the tumor-bearing mice. Judging by low levels of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in the treated mice, this effect cannot be ascribed to Th-1 inflammation, but rather to a direct cytotoxic effect on the tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS: The above data provide a new insight into the mechanisms of lipoplex-mediated antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo and new perspectives in cancer therapy.     

Genetic background influences natural killer cell activation during bacterial peritonitis in mice, and is interleukin 12 and interleukin 18 independent

Some mouse strains produce strong pro-inflammatory, T-helper (Th)1 responses (e.g. C57BL/6), or strong anti-inflammatory, Th2 responses (e.g. BALB/c). The exact mechanisms for development of distinct immune responses to infection are not completely understood, although cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-12, IL-18 and IL-4 are known to play roles. Natural killer T (NKT)/natural killer (NK) cells are important regulators of immune responses in infection and non-infection models, and NKT/NK activation is also regulated by IL-12 and IL-18 in many models. We investigated the role of IL-12/IL-18 in NKT/NK activation in murine bacterial peritonitis, as well as differential NKT and NK cell activation in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. No differences in NKT or NK cell activation or intracellular interferon (IFN)-gamma were determined between mice given control, anti-IL-12 or anti-IL-18 antibodies or in NKT/NK cell activation in STAT4-/- mice (deficient in IL-12 signaling) or wild type controls. However, there were significant differences in the activation of NKT and NK cells between C57BL/6 mice and BALB/c mice, with NKT/NK cytokine production following Th1 or Th2 lines dependent on strain. This suggests a role for NKT and NK cell activation in the development of Th1 and Th2 responses during bacterial infection independently of IL-12 or IL-18.     

Alternative induction of alpha/beta interferons and gamma interferon by listeria monocytogenes in mouse spleen cell cultures

Production of interferon (IFN) by Listeria monocytogenes (LM) in nonimmunized mouse spleen cell cultures was studied. IFN-gamma defined by virtue of its acid stability and antigenicity was produced in spleen cell cultures obtained from ddY mice, C57BL/6 mice, and BALB/c mice in response to heat-killed (HK) LM within 24 hr. On the other hand, production of IFN-alpha/beta was demonstrated in spleen cell cultures obtained from one of four nude mice (BALB/c, nu/nu). Therefore, it is important to know the reason why the spleen cells of mice other than nude mice did produce only IFN-gamma, but did not produce IFN-alpha/beta in response to HK-LM. Spleen cells obtained from ddY mice were fractionated, and the cellular source for IFN production of either IFN-alpha/beta or IFN-gamma induced by HK-LM was investigated. IFN-gamma was produced only by a mixture of T lymphocytes (nylon wool-nonadherent, Thy-1-positive cells) and macrophages by HK-LM. Neither T lymphocytes nor macrophages alone produced IFN by HK-LM. Macrophage-depleted spleen cells produced neither IFN-gamma nor IFN-alpha/beta, but these cells acquired the ability to produce IFN-alpha/beta, not IFN-gamma, only when they had been treated with IFN-alpha/beta. A possible mechanism of both IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha/beta induction by Listeria in mouse spleen cell cultures is discussed.     

Elevated natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, plasma interferon, and tumor cell rejection in mice persistently infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

To assess the effects of chronic virus infection on NK cells, the related phenomena of interferon (IFN) production, NK cell activation, and resistance to tumor implants were studied in mice persistently infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). NK cells from these LCMV-carrier mice displayed augmented killing of the NK-sensitive YAC-1 target cell. They did not lyse the more resistant targets L-929 and P815, whereas NK cells from acutely infected mice efficiently lysed all three cell types. The plasma from LCMV-carrier mice contained an antiviral substance identified as IFN type I, based on species specificity, virus nonspecificity, resistance to pH 2, and sensitivity to antibody to type I IFN. IFN titers in plasma from LCMV-carrier mice were 32 to 64 U/ml, about 20-fold less than those in acutely infected mice. Both the IFN and NK cell levels continuously remained elevated in the LCMV carrier mice up to at least 6 months of age. IFN is known to activate NK cells and to induce their blastogenesis in vivo. As determined by centrifugal elutriation, large NK blast-size cells were isolated from the spleens of acutely infected mice, but not from either normal or LCMV-carrier mice, suggesting augmented NK cell-mediated lysis in the absence of enhanced proliferation. Poly inosinic-cytidylic acid induced high levels of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and blastogenesis in both control and LCMV-carrier mice, but IFN was induced to lower levels in carriers as compared with controls. Coincidental with augmented NK cell activity, the LCMV-carrier mice rejected intravenously injected 125IUdR-labeled tumor cells more efficiently than did normal mice. Thus, LCMV carrier mice have low levels of type I IFN, moderately augmented NK cell activity lasting for at least 6 months, and increased resistance to tumor cell implants. This indicates that augmented NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity can be maintained in vivo over prolonged periods of time in the presence of chronic low-level IFN stimulation.     

Adriamycin-induced activation of NK activity may initially involve LAF production

C3HeB/FeJ spleen cells (unseparated or passaged over nylon wool columns) were cultured overnight (1-2 X 10(6) cells/microwell) in the presence and absence of resident or ADM-induced PEC and anti-YAC-1 (4h) NK activity was determined. The addition of resident PEC to spleen cells had little effect on NK activity. However, the addition of ADM-elicited PEC (10 mg/kg, IP, day -1 and day -5) to spleen cells prior to culture significantly augmented NK activity. If ADM-induced PEC were treated with carbonyl iron prior to coculture with spleen cells, augmentation of anti-YAC-1 activity was not observed. This suggested that ADM-activated macrophages augmented cultured splenic NK activity. Supernatants from overnight-cultured resident or ADM-induced adherent PEC were then prepared, dialyzed (to remove ADM), and tested for mitogenic activity or cocultured with spleen cells overnight. ADM-induced adherent PEC supernatants stimulated the proliferation of murine thymocytes (both LAF and IL-2 also stimulate) but not cultured CTL (only IL-2 stimulates). ADM-induced adherent PEC supernatants (as well as LAF, IL-2, and IFN) augmented overnight-cultured C3HeB/FeJ splenic NK activity. However, only IL-2 and IFN could augment overnight-cultured athymic BALB/c . nu/nu splenic NK activity. This suggested that ADM-elicited macrophages produce LAF which may act directly on NK cells or, more likely, may induce T cells to produce IL-2, IFN, or both.     

共表达结核杆菌Ag85A-ESAT-6融合抗原与IL-21核酸疫苗的构建及免疫效果研究

目的：构建结核杆菌Ag85A-ESAT-6融合抗原与细胞因子IL-21共表达核酸疫苗pIRES-IL-21-Ag85A-ESAT-6,研究其对小鼠免疫功能的影响。方法：用PCR方法分别扩增出Ag85A和IL-21编码基因,并先后插入质粒pIRES-ESAT-6中,构成共表达核酸疫苗pIRES-IL-21-Ag85A-ESAT-6;免疫小鼠后,通过CTL和NK细胞杀伤活性和脾细胞增殖试验,以及小鼠血清抗体、IFN-γ和IL-4的检测,评价该核酸疫苗的免疫效果。结果：pIRES-IL-21-Ag85A-ESAT-6核酸疫苗免疫鼠的CTL活性、脾细胞增殖反应、IFN-γ水平及血清抗体产生明显高于对照组,差异有显著性意义。结论：pIRES-IL-21-Ag85A-ESAT-6核酸疫苗能够诱导小鼠产生有效的免疫反应,可作为新型结核疫苗的候选组分。     

The role of natural killer cells and interferon in resistance to acute infection of mice with herpes simplex virus type 1

The relative roles of interferon (IFN) and natural killer (NK) cells in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of mice were examined. Adoptive transfer of adult mouse leukocytes into 4- to 6-day-old suckling mice protected the recipients from HSV-1 infection, as judged by viral titers in the spleen 2 days postinfection. Protection was mediated by several classes of leukocytes, including those depleted of NK cell activity by antibody to asialo GM1 and those depleted of macrophages by size separation. Mice receiving these leukocytes produced significantly higher levels of IFN 6 hr postinfection (early IFN) than did HSV-1-infected mice not receiving donor leukocytes. Antibody to IFN, under conditions that blocked early but not late IFN synthesis, greatly enhanced HSV-1 synthesis in mice receiving leukocytes and completely removed the protective effect mediated by leukocytes. High doses of anti-asialo GM1 blocked both NK cell activity and early IFN production and resulted in high titers of HSV-1. This effect on virus synthesis was not seen if mice were given antibody 1 day postinfection. Lower doses of anti-asialo GM1, which still depleted NK cell activity but had no effect on early IFN production, did not enhance HSV-1 synthesis. Depletion of NK cell activity with a low dose of antibody had no effect on the reduced HSV-1 synthesis resulting from prophylactic IFN treatment or on the enhanced HSV-1 synthesis resulting from antibody to IFN treatment. Thus, resistance to acute HSV-1 infection in mice correlates with early IFN production but not with NK cell activity, suggesting that NK cells are not major mediators of natural resistance in this model and that the antiviral effect of IFN is not mediated by NK cells.     

Studies on the mechanism of low natural killer cell activity in infant and aged mice

NK activity in mice is high between about 6 and 10 weeks of age. In contrast, infant mice and mice older than 12-14 weeks of age usually have quite low or undetectable NK activity. Studies were performed to analyze the mechanisms underlying this characteristic age-related regulation of NK activity. Spleen cells from infant mice did not develop appreciable NK activity upon incubation for 12-18 h with either interferon (IFN) or interleukin-2 (IL-2). Analysis of the frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of NK cells, in a limiting dilution assay, also indicated that the spleens of infant mice are deficient in precursors of NK cells. In contrast, spleen cells from old mice (30 weeks old) developed substantial levels of NK activity upon incubation with either IFN or IL-2, and they showed a frequency of IL-2-dependent progenitors of effector cells that was similar to that of young mice. Both infant and old mice had plastic-adherent suppressor cells in their spleens, which could strongly inhibit NK activity. In addition, both infant and old mouse spleen cells contained nonadherent suppressor cells, which had a higher density on Percoll gradients than NK cells. Thus, several factors appear to contribute to the age-related regulation of NK activity in mice.     

Trypanosoma cruzi: the expansion of NK, T, and NKT cells in the experimental infection

T and NK cells play a key role in resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi infections, mainly through IFN-gamma production. The expression of T and NK cells surface markers was studied in NWNA spleen cells of resistant C3H and susceptible BALB/c mice that release IFN-gamma in the early and late acute infection, respectively. In the progressively enlarged spleens, we found: (a) an increased percentage and number of NK blast cells as early as at 2 days post-infection (pi), (b) an enrichment of T and NK cells, in both the total and blast populations, during the late acute phase. At 17 days pi, there was also an accumulation of TCR- alphabeta+DX5+, NKT cells, mainly in resistant mice. At 21 days pi, the enrichment of NK cells ceased, while spleen cells and the T cell compartment continued their expansion. In the chronic stage, TCR-alphabeta+ blasts were expanded in both mouse strains, but NK blasts increased only in BALB/c that, unlike C3H mice, release IFN-gamma. As T and NK cell proliferation is not always associated to IFN-gamma release the experimental downregulation of their expansion to avoid tissue damage could be explored.     

Partially restorative role of T cells for low interleukin 2 dependent growth of NK cell progenitors from nude mice

The frequency of cells in the spleens of nude mice which could be grown in conditioned medium containing interleukin 2 and of those which developed natural killer (NK)-like activity was evaluated. Although BALB/c nu/nu spleen cells have higher spontaneous NK activity than euthymic mice, they showed a substantially lower frequency of proliferating and cytotoxic cells as compared to BALB/c nu/+ littermates. This defect in cells of nu/nu mice was reversed in part by culturing nu/nu responder cells in the presence of irradiated (3,000 R) splenic or thymic feeder cells that included T cells. In contrast to the dissociation of NK activity and progenitor frequencies in nude mice, the results of parallel studies with spleen cells from euthymic mice indicated that the limiting dilution assay correlated well with previously described features of NK activity. High-NK-reactive CBA/J mice were found to have a considerably higher frequency of interleukin 2 dependent NK cell progenitors than low-NK-reactive strains of mice when assessed against NK-susceptible YAC-1 targets. The frequency of progenitors of cells cytotoxic against YAC-1 was higher in spleens of high-NK-reactive mice than that of cells reactive against the NK-insensitive target P-815. Furthermore, the phenotype of the progenitor cells and of the cultured effector cells was consistent with that of NK cells rather than cytotoxic T cells in that the cells expressed asialo GM1, some Thy-1, but no detectable Lyt-1 or Lyt-2 antigens. Thus, the present observations suggest that the subpopulation of NK cell progenitors in nude mice which can grow and develop cytotoxic reactivity in vitro in the presence of interleukin 2 is small, that it can be increased appreciably in the presence of T cells, but that this does not represent the major pathway for development of NK cells in athymic individuals.     

In vivo significance of NK cell on resistance against virus (HSV-1) infections in mice

Susceptibility to infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was examined in euthymic as well as athymic nude mice which were continuously depleted of natural killer (NK) cell activity by i.v. injection of anti-asialo GM1. In those NK cell activity-depleted mice, the mortality rate of infection with HSV-1 and the virus titers in the brain, liver, and spleen were notably higher than in the control mice. The enhanced susceptibility was demonstrated only in the mice receiving anti-asialo GM1 and HSV-1 simultaneously, but not in the mice in which NK cell deletion was postponed by injecting the antisera 5 days after the virus inoculation. Interferon (IFN) production of peritoneal exudate cells was also reduced in the anti-asialo GM1-injected mice. The decline of resistance against HSV-1 infection proved to be primarily due to deletion of NK cells, but not due to the inability to produce IFN, because repeated injections of IFN increased the NK cell activity and prolonged the life of HSV-1-infected mice with an intact NK cell activity. In the NK cell activity-depleted mice, however, neither the NK cell activity nor the life span was improved by the administration of IFN.     

Natural killer cell depletion enhances virus synthesis and virus-induced hepatitis in vivo

The role of natural killer (NK) cells in the natural resistance of mice to infections by several viruses was examined. Mice were specifically depleted of NK cells by i.v. injection of rabbit antiserum to asialo GM1, a neutral glycosphingolipid present at high concentrations on the surface of NK cells. Control mice were left untreated or were injected with normal rabbit serum. Four to 6 hr later, these mice were infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV), or vaccinia virus. The mice were sacrificed 3 days post-infection and assayed for virus in liver and spleen, spleen NK cell activity, and plasma interferon (IFN). All mice treated with anti-asialo GM1 antibody had drastically reduced NK cell-mediated lysis. Correlating with NK cell depletion, these mice had significantly higher (up to 500-fold) titers of MCMV, MHV, or vaccinia virus in their livers and spleens as compared to control mice. NK cell-depleted MCMV and MHV-infected mice had higher levels of plasma IFN than controls, correlating with the higher virus titers. These NK cell-depleted, virus-infected mice had more extensive hepatitis, assayed by the number of inflammatory foci in their livers, as compared to control virus-infected mice; these foci were also larger and contained more degenerating liver cells than those in control mice. In contrast to the results obtained with MHV, MCMV, and vaccinia virus, NK cell depletion had no effect on virus titers in the early stages of acute LCMV infection or during persistent LCMV infection. Mice depleted of NK cells had similar amounts of LCMV in their spleens and similar plasma IFN levels. Because this antibody to asialo GM1 does not impair other detectable immunologic mechanisms, these data support the hypothesis that NK cells act as a natural resistance mechanism to a number of virus infections, but suggest that their relative importance may vary from virus to virus.     

Changes in number and density of large granular lymphocytes upon in vivo augmentation of mouse natural killer activity

NK activity of mice as well as humans and rats has been clearly associated with large granular lymphocytes (LGL). To better understand the effects of interferon (IFN) and IFN inducers on natural killer (NK) cells, we have compared the LGL in the spleens of normal and boosted mice. Cells were fractionated by centrifugation on discontinuous Percoll density gradients, and each fraction was tested for NK activity against YAC-1 targets and for the presence of LGL. In vivo treatment with C. parvum (0.7 mg/mouse, i.p., day-3), MVE-2 (25 mg/kg, i.p., day-3), poly I:C (4 mg/kg, i.p., day-3), or IFN (10(5) U/mouse, i.p., day-1) resulted in a marked augmentation and a change of distribution of cytotoxic activity. Most of the NK activity of boosted spleen cells was associated with lower density fractions 1 and 2, whereas active normal spleen cells had somewhat higher density (fractions 2 and 3). In parallel to their increased reactivity, the boosted spleens had a marked increase in the percentage of LGL, particularly in fractions 1 and 2. The augmented activity appeared to be mediated by the LGL, because treatment with anti-asialo GM1 or anti-Thy-1.2 plus complement reduced NK as well as the number of LGL. These results indicate that IFN-mediated boosting of NK activity in the spleen is due to an increase in the lower density LGL, as well as to an increase in the function of preexisting NK cells.     

Cells with natural killer activity in the cerebrospinal fluid of normal mice and athymic nude mice with acute Sindbis virus encephalitis

Sindbis virus causes an acute, nonfatal inflammatory encephalitis in weanling BALB/c mice. Mononuclear inflammatory cells are present in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as well as in the parenchyma of the brain. Both aspects of this inflammatory response were eliminated by treatment with cyclophosphamide. Athymic nude (nu/nu) mice developed no inflammation in the brain, but did develop a CSF pleocytosis that peaked on day 2 after infection. The time course of the appearance of cells in the CSF was earlier in nu/nu mice than their heterozygote (nu/+) littermates. The pleocytosis in nu/nu mice reached a peak on day 2, whereas in nu/+ mice the peak was on day 4, as it is in normal BALB/c mice. To determine whether some of the CSF cells in nu/nu mice may be natural killer (NK) cells, NK activity was measured in a 4-hr assay by using a YAC-1 target cell. NK cell activity in the spleen and peripheral blood was induced by infection with Sindbis virus in nu/nu mice with a similar time course to that of nu/+ mice (peak 1 day after infection). CSF from nu/nu mice had NK activity present 2 days after infection that was greater than that present in either the peripheral blood or spleen. BALB/c and nu/+ mice had insufficient cells present for assay at day 2, but BALB/c mice had NK activity present in the CSF 3 and 5 days after infection that exceeded that in the peripheral blood or spleen. Brain interferon was detectable on day 1 in nu/nu mice, but not until day 2 in nu/+ mice even though the amounts of brain virus were the same in the two groups at all time points. It is concluded that cells with NK activity contribute to the CSF pleocytosis induced by acute Sindbis virus encephalitis.     

Mitogenic Effect of the Mannans from Saccharomyces cerevisiae on Mouse Spleen Lymphocytes

The DNA synthetic activities of mannans isolated from two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were examined in vitro using spleen cells obtained from normal or nude BALB/c strain mice. A highly branched mannan isolated from the S. cerevisiae wild type strain induced a greater increase in mitogenic activity than those displayed by the mannan of the S. cerevisiae X2180–1A-5 mutant strain which possessed fewer branching moieties. Acid-hydrolyzed wild type strain mannan with two-thirds of the molecular weight of the parent intact mannan showed weak mitogenicity. Increases in the DNA synthetic activities of nude and normal spleen cells were almost the same as that of wild type strain mannan, while nylon wool column-passed spleen cells obtained from both normal and nude mice did not show mitogenicity with this mannan. The results indicated that the mitogenic activity was responsible for the highly branched structure of the wild type strain mannan, and that this mannan is a B-cell mitogen.