Phagocytosis Influenced by Bacterial Culture Medium

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Abstract
These expts. are concerned with the effect of bacterial culture medium on the phagocytosis of Escherichia coli. The beef medium was Bacto Beef Infusion Broth containing 20 g. peptone and 5 g. NaCl per I., and the tryptose medium was Bacto Tryptose Broth containing 10 g. dextrose, 10 mg. FeSO4, and 0.1 mg. thiamine hydrochloride per 1. The mean percentages of neutro-philes phagocytosing E. coli after growth in beef infusion and tryptose broths were 87.5 and 19.4, respectively, employing 1 x 109 organisms per ml. and washed dog blood cells under standard conditions. Phagocytosis of E. coli grown in beef infusion medium, its ultrafiltrate, or the residue after ultra-filtration, was equally elevated. Autoclaving did not decrease their stimulatory effect. The sensitized beef-grown E. coli were not affected by 12 repeated saline washings. Sensitization to phagocytosis occurred during growth in beef infusion, and correlated closely with the increase in bacterial number. Sensitizing material could not be demonstrated in beef infusion or in the supernatant of beef infusion cultures of E. coli. since suspending tryptose-grown bacteria in either of these media did not increase their phagocytosis. The smaller beef infusion grown organisms were phagocytosed more readily. In vitro phagocytosis of E. coli was influenced by the medium in which they were cultivated, and sensitization occurred during growth.

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