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S I MORSE

Publications and source records attributed to S I MORSE.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF ACID MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES IN RABBIT LEUCOCYTES.

Acid mucopolysaccharides have been extracted from whole rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes and from the cytoplasmic granules of these cells. The leucocyte acid mucopolysaccharides can be separated into two fractions by the solubility of their CPC complexes in solutions of differing salt concentration. One of these fractions appears to be identical with hyaluronic acid; the other appears to be an atypical chondroitin sulfate. On both a dry weight and total protein basis the polymorphonuclear leucocyte granule contains approximately 2.6 times as much acid mucopolysaccharide as does the whole cell. Hyaluronic acid is concentrated in the granules in particular; its function is unknown. These results do not indicate that all lysosomes contain abundant acid mucopolysaccharides, for no detectable carbohydrate of this class could be extracted from lysosome-rich alveolar macrophages.

Animals↗

STUDIES ON THE LYMPHOCYTOSIS INDUCED IN MICE BY BORDETELLA PERTUSSIS.

1. Intravenous injection into mice of phase I Bordetella pertussis vaccine resulted in a striking hyperleucocytosis with a predominating lymphocytosis. Intraperitoneal inoculation was less effective, and subcutaneous administration was inactive. 2. Active immunization prevented the hyperleucocytosis; passive immunization was less effective. 3. Reticuloendothelial blockage reduced the effect of the vaccine. 4. Extirpation of the spleen or thymus did not alter the leucocyte response. 5. Histologic studies suggested that the increase in circulating lymphocytes resulted from release of cells from lymphoid organs, including the thymus.

Animals↗

Studies on the chemistry and immunochemistry of cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus.

The cell walls of an 80/81 strain of Staphylococcus aureus (NYH-6) contain alanine, glycine, glutamic acid, lysine, muramic acid, glucosamine, and ribitol phosphate. 94 per cent of the phosphorus and 41 per cent of the glucosamine are removed by extraction of the cell walls with hot 5 per cent TCA, but significant amounts of the other constituents are not extracted by this procedure. The residue after hot TCA extraction (mucopeptide) is susceptible to lysozyme whereas the intact cell walls are resistant. Staphylococcus aureus cell walls are agglutinated by S. aureus antisera. Agglutination of the cell walls of one S. aureus strain is inhibited by absorption of antisera with cell walls of other S. aureus strains but not by absorption with S. albus cell walls. The ribitol teichoic acid can be isolated from cold TCA extracts of the cell walls. This compound consists almost entirely of ribitol phosphate and glucosamine. The isolated teichoic acid of strain NYH-6 is readily fixed to tanned sheep erythrocytes and these sensitized cells are agglutinated by S. aureus antisera. Cold TCA extracts of cell walls of other strains of S. aureus inhibit hemagglutination whereas extracts of S. albus walls do not. Studies on the inhibition of both hemagglutination and precipitation indicate that the antigenic determinant of S. aureus NYH-6 teichoic acid is beta-N-acetylglucosamine.

Animals↗

Studies on the interactions between components of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus bacteriophage.

The cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus are capable of inactivating S. aureus bacteriophage. Furthermore, the cell walls isolated from S. aureus of a given phage type inactivate a variety of different staphylococcal bacteriophages. Under the conditions employed neither the isolated mucopeptide nor teichoic acid components of the cell walls act as bacteriophage receptor.

Bacteriophages↗

Isolation and properties of a surface antigen of Staphylococcus aureus.

A technique is described for the isolation and purification of an antigen released into the culture medium by Staphylococcus aureus strain Smith. The antigen was found to be homogeneous when examined by free electrophoresis and analytic ultracentrifugation. Immunologic homogeneity was established by immunoelectrophoresis and quantitative precipitin tests using high titer antiserum prepared against the homologous organism. Chemical analysis showed that the antigen contained 70 per cent carbohydrate, of which approximately 30 to 35 per cent was believed to be glucosamine. The analytic data suggested that another amino sugar, probably carboxylated, was also present, but extreme lability of this compound to mild hydrolytic procedures has thus far precluded further identification. The remainder of the antigen was composed of alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, lysine, glycine, serine, and threonine. No muramic acid was found. The chemical and physical data indicate that the antigen described herein is a previously unrecognized component of Staphylococcus aureus. The purified compound was capable of absorbing agglutinating antibody from antiserum prepared against S. aureus Smith, indicating that it was a surface component of this encapsulated staphylococcus. It is proposed that the antigen be known as the Smith surface antigen (SSA). The injection of SSA into rabbits did not produce precipitating antibodies. However, SSA did precipitate at low concentrations (0.5 microg/ml) with antiserum prepared against S. aureus Smith and one other strain of S. aureus tested. Antiserum against two other aureus strains reacted only with high concentrations of SSA. SSA did not react with S. albus antiserum or with normal sera from several animal species. Experiments are in progress to define further the distribution of SSA. Intradermal injection of small quantities of SSA into rabbits immunized with S. aureus Smith evoked a reaction of cutaneous hypersensitivity, which was maximal in 8 to 12 hours. SSA appeared to be the substance responsible for the ability of S. aureus Smith to resist engulfment by phagocytes, since absorption of Smith antiserum with SSA effectively removed opsonizing antibodies. SSA induced protection in mice against experimental staphylococcal disease. The subcutaneous injection of 0.1 microg resulted in protection against a subsequent intraperitoneal challenge with 50 to 100 LD(50)'s of S. aureus Smith suspended in mucin. Increasing as well as decreasing the immunizing dose resulted in significantly less protection.

Animals↗

Functional and metabolic properties of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. I. Observations on the requirements and consequences of particle ingestion.

The phagocytosis and intracellular destruction of bacteria by rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes has been studied in vitro under defined conditions. The efficient and continuing ingestion of bacteria was dependent upon (a) opsonic factors present in fresh rabbit serum as well as upon, (b) the availability of an adequate supply of glucose in the medium. The effects of selected enzymatic inhibitors on the metabolic and functional activities of the leucocytes was investigated. Cyanide which inhibited oxygen consumption had no effect on the ingestion or inactivation of bacteria, Iodoacetate and arsenite which blocked glycolysis produced a marked inhibition in particle ingestion. 2,4-Dinitrophenol which stimulated both oxygen consumption and glycolysis, depressed phagocytosis after a 1 hour latent period. It was concluded that phagocytosis was an energy-requiring process in which glycolysis served as the most important source of energy. Leucocytes which were ingesting heat-killed bacteria exhibited increases in oxygen consumption, glucose utilization, and lactic acid synthesis. The effect of particle ingestion on glycogen metabolism was characterized by an initial period of glycogenolysis followed by an enhanced rate of glycogen synthesis. Leucocytes which had previously ingested heat-killed bacteria also demonstrated increased rates of phagocytosis.

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Functional and metabolic properties of polymorphonuclear leucocytes. II. The influence of a lipopolysaccharide endotoxin.

The effects of a purified bacterial lipopolysaccharide endotoxin on homogenous populations of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes have been studied in vitro under defined conditions. Employing a 500-fold range of concentration (0.1 to 50.0 microg./ml.), it was shown that endotoxin enhanced the rate at which staphylococci were killed by leucocytes. The mechanism underlying the increased killing was found to be a direct stimulation of the phagocytic activity of the leucocyte and not mediated by the release of bactericidins or opsonins from the treated cells. In the presence of 10 per cent serum all concentrations of endotoxin enhanced phagocytosis, whereas at lower serum concentrations, the higher doses of lipopolysaccharide inhibited the phagocytic activity of the cells. Similar concentrations of endotoxin were capable of increasing the utilization of glucose and the production of lactic acid. Endotoxin treated leucocytes exhibited no change in oxygen consumption, and only a slight depression in glycogen synthesis. It appeared that endotoxin could interact and alter the functional and metabolic properties of leucocytes in the absence of serum. The demonstration of enhanced phagocytic activity of endotoxin-treated cells was dependent upon the particular opsonic requirements for the organism under study.

Animals↗

Interactions between rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes and staphylococci.

A method has been described for the study in vitro of leucocyte-bacteria interactions which permits the simultaneous evaluation of both phagocytosis and intracellular bacterial inactivation. Employing this technique, the fate and localization of staphylococci in homogeneous suspensions of rabbit polymorphonuclear leucocytes have been studied. Coagulase-positive strains of S. aureus were not efficiently ingested in the presence of normal rabbit serum. In contrast, coagulase-negative strains of S. albus were rapidly engulfed and inactivated. Immune sera prepared against a coagulase-positive strain enhanced the the ingestion of the homologous organism as well as of three heterologous strains of S. aureus. Following phagocytosis, prompt intracellular killing of S. aureus occurred. The thermostable opsonins in immune sera reacted only with strains of S. aureus. A comparison between polymorphonuclear leucocytes obtained from normal and immune animals revealed no differences in their ability either to ingest or kill coagulase-positive staphylococci. Studies with other bacterial species are presented to illustrate: (a) phagocytosis followed by intracellular inactivation; (b) phagocytosis followed by intracellular survival; and (c) the absence of phagocytosis.

Animals↗

The incidence and pathogenesis of myocarditis in rabbits after group A streptococcal pharyngeal infections.

Rabbits subjected to single pharyngeal infections with group A streptococci developed cardiac lesions characterized by myofiber necrosis and a non-granulocytic cellular reaction with histiocytes, lymphocytes, and Anitschkow myocytes. The histopathologic changes were demonstrable in some animals within 24 hours of inoculation, apparently were maximal 72 hours after induction of infection (at which time they were seen in the hearts of all nine rabbits studied), and thereafter healed in the course of the following 2 weeks. The extent of involvement was variable, and with healing the necrotic areas were replaced by fibrous tissue. When intradermal infections with the same organisms were produced in rabbits, cardiac lesions, indistinguishable from those observed in the pharyngeally infected group, appeared in a much smaller number of animals. The hearts of five of six rabbits sacrificed a month or more following the last of a series of streptococcal pharyngeal infections exhibited lesions characterized chiefly by fibrosis, although mononuclear cellular infiltrations were also noted. In these repetitively infected animals the presence of occasional multinucleated giant cells and a few small foci of calcification were features not encountered in the single infection group. In a second series of rabbits sacrificed 3 days after the last of three pharyngeal infections with different strains of streptococci, acute as well as more chronic changes were observed. In none of the lesions in rabbits subjected to single or multiple streptococcal infections were bacteria demonstrable, either in histologic sections or in cultures of myocardial tissue. A large number of control animals was studied concomitantly, and in only one instance was a lesion, considered comparable to those described in the streptococcal series, encountered. The implications of these findings, particularly in terms of the non-suppurative sequelae of streptococcal infections in man, are discussed.

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