Potentiation of mouse peritoneal macrophage antibacterial functions by treatment of the donor animals with the methanol extraction residue fraction of tubercle bacilli

Administration to inbred mice of the methanol extraction residue fraction of tubercle bacilli by some, but not by all, routes affected markedly the in vitro phagocytic and antibacterial capacities of their peritoneal macrophages harvested several days to weeks after treatment. Phagocytosis of living [³H] thymidine-labeled Staphylococcus albus and Staphylococcus aureus organisms, but not of Listeria monocytogenes, was markedly enhanced. Uptake of the deoxyribonucleic acid precursor thymidine by the phagocytized staphylococci was consistently and significantly inhibited in macrophages taken from methanol extraction residue-treated donors. Such macrophages also displayed a significant facility to reduce the viability of intracellular S. albus and L. monocytogenes, but not of S. aureus, under the present experimental conditions.