Enhancement of Cytotoxicity of Active Macrophages by Mycoplasma

J-STAGE

Abstract

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-inducing activity of several mycoplasmas including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a causative agent in human respiratory infectious diseases, was investigated. Purified peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice markedly enhanced their cytotoxic activity to Meth A cells, when cultured with either viable or non-viable mycoplasmas. The supernatants of the macrophage culture with mycoplasmas, M. pneumoniae and Acholeplasma laidlawii, showed the potent cytotoxic activity to TNF-α-sensitive L cells but not to TNF-α-insensitive L cells. Addition of anti-TNF-α antiserum inhibited completely the cytotoxic activity of these supernatants, indicating that a major part of the cytotoxic activity might be due to TNF-α. Various other mycoplasmas, either glucose-or arginineutilizing species, as far as tested showed also the potent activity to produce TNF-α. These results strongly suggest the possibility that mycoplasmas possess the activity of TNF-α induction which might be responsible for a part of enhancement of cytotoxic activity of macrophages and resistance to infection with mycoplasmas in vivo.

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