In vitro proliferative response and polyclonal antibody production in spleen cells of immunologically defective CBA/N and C3H/HeJ mice by water-soluble adjuvant (Bu-WSA) extracted from Bacterionema matruchotii.

Mitogenicity and the polyclonal plaque forming cell (PFC)-inducing property of a water soluble-adjuvant extracted from Bacterionema matruchotii by butanol (Bu-WSA) were examined in vitro in the spleen cells of hybrid (CBA/N female X BALB/c male)F1 mice and C3H strain of mice. The hybrid F1 male cells which expressed a CBA/N-defect were unable to respond to Bu-WSA, when assessed by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into the cells and the generation of anti-trinitrophenyl (TNP)-PFC or autoantibody PFC defined by the anti-bromelain-treated mouse erythrocyte PFC assay. However, hybrid F1 female cells with normal traits responded to Bu-WSA. Cultured spleen cells of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-nonresponsive (C3H/HeJ mice responded to Bu-WSA as in the case of cells of LPS-responsive C3H/He mice, and the [3H]thymidine-uptakes and the numbers of PFC in these culture cells increased. Re-extraction of Bu-WSA by phenol did not affect its activities, while the activity of butanol-extracted LPS and C3H/HeJ cells decreased after re-extraction by the same procedure with phenol.