ALLERGENICITY OF INTRACELLULAR PARTICLES, CELL WALLS, AND CYTOPLASMIC FLUID FROM MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

Abstract

Guinea pigs were injected with viable whole cells of the H37Ra strain, purified myco-bacterial cell wall, immunogenic intracellular particles, and water soluble cytoplasmic substances. At intervals the guinea pigs were tested for skin sensitivity to tuberculin and to each of the cellular fractions used for sensitization. Intact cells and the cell wall fraction induced a high degree of tuberculin sensitivity; the immunogenic particles and soluble cytoplasmic materials did not. Delayed systemic fatal allergic reactions were observed following the intra-peritoneal administration of large doses of old tuberculin only in guinea pigs injected with viable cells or cell walls. All fractions elicited characteristic delayed type reactions of hypersensitivity when small amounts were introduced intradermally into guinea pigs sensitized with viable cells or with cell walls. The allergenicity of the cell walls was not affected by treatment with pepsin, trypsin, or ribonuclease. Treatment of the cell walls with alkaline ethanol at 37[degree]C, however, completely destroyed the capacity to produce tuberculin hypersensitivity, presumably by extracting a lipoprotein moiety.