INTRACELLULAR GROWTH OF TUBERCLE BACILLI AND OTHER MYCOBACTERIA IN THE J-111 CELL LINE OF LEUKEMIC MONOCYTES

Abstract

J-111 cells were capable of ingesting mycobacteria with some facility in Eagle''s basal medium supplemented with lamb or horse serum. Twelve strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 5 of which showed impaired virulence for guinea pigs and hamsters, grew equally well within the cytoplasm and exhibited strong cording. Two BCG strains and the H37Ra strain of M. tuberculosis grew at a slower rate than the tubercle bacillus strains and did not form true cords. Two strains of group 1 photochromogenic mycobacteria grew intracellularly at approximately the same rate as tubercle bacilli. The bacilli were enlarged, especially elongated, distinctly beaded, and demonstrated an inconstant tendency to parallel alignment. Two group 111 nonphotochromogenic myco-bacterial strains grew at a faster rate than tubercle bacilli and showed evidence of branching. The findings were for the most part similar to the observations made by Shepard on the behavior of various mycobacteria in HeLa cells.