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Effect of Nocardia rubra Cell Wall Skeleton on Murine Interferon Production in Vitro

Exploratory Research Laboratories, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ibaraki [S. I., H. U., M. O., H. A.], and Osaka University School of Medicine, Osaka [Y. Y.] Japan

Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) induced - plus ß-interferons (IFN-/ß) in resident peritoneal cells and bone marrow cells from normal mice. N-CWS also induced IFN-/ß and IFN- in the cultures of thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal cells. When induced with N-CWS, the mixed cultures of thioglycollate-elicited macrophages and spleen cells produced high titered IFN-. Both macrophages and lymphocytes present in spleen cells (non-T, non-B, asialo-G_M1-positive) were essential for the production. Immunofluorescence staining with anti-IFN- antiserum showed the presence of IFN- in lymphocytes but not in macrophages, suggesting that lymphocytes were producer cells and macrophages were accessory cells. Because IFN- is an important lymphokine in immune response, the ability of N-CWS to stimulate IFN- production may account for a significant portion of the antitumor activity of this agent.

Received 8/ 6/85. Revised 12/27/85. Accepted 12/30/85.