MITOGENIC ACTIVITY OF MYCOPLASMA-PULMONIS .1. STIMULATION OF RAT LYMPHOCYTE-B AND LYMPHOCYTE-T

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 36  (3) , 399-406
Abstract
The mitogenic activity of Mycoplasma pulmonis towards rat B [bone marrow-derived] and T [thymus-derived] lymphocytes was demonstrated. Spleen cells obtained from T .times. BM[thymus-deprived .times. bone marrow depleted] rats were extensively activated by M. pulmonis. M. pulmonis induced the development of antibody-producing cells, as attested by the appearance of direct plaque forming cells against SRBC [sheep red blood cells] and TNP[trinitrophenylated]-SRBC in spleen cultures exposed to this mitogen. Rat thymus cells and a part of the lymph node T cell population responding to Con [concanavalin] A or PWM [pokeweed mitogen], were stimulated by M. pulmonis, the response being weaker than that of rat B cell populations. M. pulmonis activates rat B and T lymphocytes. This mitogenic stimulation, however, is not equally exerted on both these populations, being strongly effective upon B cells and less so on T cells.