Activation in vitro of peritoneal macrophages by a nocardia fraction.

The Nocardia fraction NLD-RB1040 (Nocardia Lysozyme Digest) induced cytostatic activity in vitro against the YAC-1 tumor-cell line, in resident murine peritoneal macrophages isolated from BALB/c mice. The induction of antitumor activity by the Nocardia fraction was not correlated with induced changes in production of TNF alpha, PGE2 or nitrite by human peritoneal macrophages collected from renal patients on Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), or changes in production of TNF a by murine macrophages.

Human B cell differentiation. I. Immunoglobulin synthesis induced by Nocardia mitogen.

Nocardia water-soluble mitogen (NWSM) is a mitogen which activates human B lymphocytes even in the absence of T cells. Tonsil and peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured in the presence of NWSM gave rise to large numbers of cells containing cytoplasmic immunoglobulins of IgM, IgA or IgG classes. The number of plasma cells appeared to be elevated as early as day 3 of culture and peaked on day 5 or 7.

Nocardia water-soluble mitogen and lipopolysaccharide. Comparative study of two adjuvants and B-cell mitogens in mice.

The activity of Nocardia water-soluble mitogen (NWSM) and LPS were compared in several experimental systems, since both compounds are B-cell mitogens and polyclonal activators in vitro. The results reported here demonstrated that NWSM like LPS also has a strong adjuvant activity in vivo if administered in saline with a strong antigen (heterologous red blood cells) or even with a weak immunogen such as theta alloantigen. However, in contrast to LPS, NWSM administered to mice failed to induce in vivo proliferation of lymphocytes, polyclonal activation and PFC against syngeneic bromelain-treated erythrocytes and thymocytes.

[Isolation and characterization of mitogens from Nocardia].

Two methods have been devised to isolate mitogens from Nocardia cells. (1) Lysozyme treatment of delipidated cells followed by fractionation of the soluble extract leads to a mitogen devoid of cell wall constituents. (2) Cell disruption followed by differential centrifugations shows that two mitogenic structures are present: the cell wall and fragments of the cytoplasmic membrane.