RESPONSE OF LEUKOCYTES IN CULTURE FROM TUBERCULOUS PATIENTS AND VACCINATED SUBJECTS

Abstract

Leukocytes from BCG-vaccinated donors and tuberculous patients were shown to respond mitogenically when cultured in the presence of tuberculoprotein. Approximately 60% of persons in each group responded with a mean of 5 mitotic cells per 1, 000 cultured leukocytes. The response of the vaccinated group, although transient, correlated well with the passive hemagglutination test using tuberculoprotein, and with intradermal tests to tuberculin as other measures of hyper sensitivity. The patient group had a depressed response to phytohemagglutinin, a nonspecific mitogenic agent. This indication of a lower mitotic capacity was suggested as one possible explanation for the lack of a cultured cell response in some infected donors who showed serum antibody to tuberculoprotein and intradermal tuberculin PPD [purified protein derivative] sensitivity.