NON-PASSAGE OF MYCOBACTERIA FROM FREUNDS COMPLETE ADJUVANT GRANULOMA DEPOTS TO ARTHRITIC JOINTS

Abstract

After immunization [of rabbits] with live Mycobacterium avium or dead 125I-M. tuberculosis in Freund''s complete adjuvant, the intra-articular injection of antigen resulted in identical chronic disease, experimental allergic arthritis [EAA]. In the former case live mycobacteria could be isolated from the subcutaneous granuloma which developed at the injection site, and from arthritic joints into which 10 .mu.g wet wt (equivalent of 2 .mu.g dry wt) was injected with this antigen. No mycobacteria could be isolated from other inflamed or normal joints. With 125I-labeled mycobacteria, radioactive counting and radioautography clearly showed M. tuberculosis present in the subcutaneous granuloma but not in injected or uninjected joints. The quantity of mycobacteria which could be detected if present was estimated to be < 1 .mu.g dry weight. Mycobacteria apparently do not travel from the granuloma depot to the arthritic joint, and any mechanism considered to explain the chronicity of EAA cannot involve the physical presence of mycobacteria in the knee joint.