Evidence for thyroglobulin-reactive T cells in good responder mice.

Trehalose dimycolates and monomycolates isolated from a variety of Mycobacteria species as well as synthetic trehalose mycolates and trehalose behenylbehenate produced granulomatous responses in the lungs of mice. Trehalose alone or mycolic acids or their methyl esters, however, did not. These data suggest that the sugar moiety of these defined fatty acid esters is required for the production of this cellular inflammatory reaction. When mice were challenged with virulent Mycobactorium tuberculosis they showed increased resistance against infection during the time when the granulomatous response was greatest.