Corynebacterium

Cancer Res, 1985 Jan, 45(1), 25 - 31
Vaccination of adult and newborn mice of a resistant strain (C57BL/6J) against challenge with leukemias induced by Moloney murine leukemia virus; Reif AE; Adult or newborn C57BL/6J mice were immunized with isogenic Moloney strain MuLV-induced leukemia cells irradiated with 10,000 rads or treated with low concentrations of formalin . Groups of immunized and control mice were challenged with a range of doses of viable leukemia cells, and tumor deaths were recorded for 90 days after challenge . Then, the doses of challenge cells which produced 50% tumor deaths were calculated for immunized and control mice . The logarithm of their ratio quantified the degree of protection provided by immunization . For adult C57BL/6J mice, a single immunization with MuLV-induced leukemia cells was not effective; either cells plus Bacillus Calmette-Guerin or Corynebacterium parvum, or else two immunizations with irradiated leukemia cells were needed to produce statistically significant increases in the values of the doses of challenge cells which produced 50% tumor deaths . Cross-protection was obtained by immunization with other isogenic MuLV-induced leukemias, but not by immunization with isogenic carcinogen-induced tumors or with an isogenic spontaneous leukemia . For newborn mice, a single injection of irradiated leukemia cells provided 1.3 to 1.5 logs of protection, and admixture of B . Calmette-Guerin or C . parvum increased this protection to 2.4 to 2.7 logs . Since irradiated and frozen-thawed MuLV-induced leukemia cells contained viable MuLV, leukemia cells treated with 0.5 or 1.0% formalin were tested as an alternative . A single injection of formalin-treated isogenic leukemia cells admixed with C . parvum provided between 1.7 and 2.8 logs of protection . These results demonstrate that a single vaccination of newborn animals against a highly antigenic virally induced leukemia produces strong protection against a subsequent challenge with viable leukemia cells.

Br J Ophthalmol, 1985 Jan, 69(1), 29 - 31
Embolic retinopathy due to Corynebacterium minutissimum endocarditis; Herschorn BJ et al.; Infective embolic retinopathy as a sequela of bacterial endocarditis is described in a 31-year-old woman with mitral valve prolapse . The infective organism, Corynebacterium minutissimum, has not been previously found to cause ocular or multisystem diseases . It is a common mucocutaneous inhabitant which causes erythrasma . In our case report both ocular involvement and septicaemia were present . The infection was confirmed by positive serial blood cultures . Mitral valve prolapse was confirmed by echocardiography . On clinical examination the retinopathy consisted of white intraretinal lesions which resolved with antibiotic therapy . By fluorescein angiography focal areas of hypofluorescence corresponding to the white fundus lesions were present . Optic disc oedema was also seen.

Folia Microbiol (Praha), 1985, 30(6), 485 - 92
Fermentation production of L-homoserine by Corynebacterium sp . and its possible use in the preparation of threonine and lysine; Plachy J et al.; A mutant Corynebacterium sp . requiring threonine and cultivated for 3 d in a medium containing 15% sucrose, 8% corn-steep and 50 micrograms biotin per litre accumulated 14.5 g L-homoserine per litre . The possibility of fermenting the homoserine obtained for threonine and lysine production was investigated.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1985, 20(3), 214 - 8
The effect of combination treatment with alpha-difluoromethylornithine and Corynebacterium parvum on B16 melanoma growth and tumoricidal effector cell generation in vivo; Bowlin TL et al.; The objective of the present investigation was to establish whether a known lymphoreticular-stimulating agent Corynebacterium parvum would augment the established antitumor activity of alpha-difluoromethylornithine in vivo . Furthermore, since C . parvum is known to boost cell mediated cytotoxicity, the effect of DFMO (DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine X HCl X H2O) treatment was evaluated on macrophage and natural killer (NK) cell tumoricidal activity . DFMO administered alone, 1% or 2% in drinking water, inhibited 49.4% or 88.0% of B16 melanoma growth in vivo, respectively . Administration of C . parvum alone, three doses of 300 micrograms each, inhibited tumor growth 57.4% . When administered together, DFMO and C . parvum treatment resulted in 89.8% (1% DFMO) or 97.4% (2% DFMO) inhibition of melanoma growth depending upon the dose of DFMO . C . parvum-treated animals had increased levels of macrophage-mediated tumoricidal activity directed against B16 melanoma cells in vitro, however, NK cell activity was reduced . DFMO treatment alone had no effect on macrophage or NK cell tumoricidal activity . In animals receiving both C . parvum and DFMO treatments macrophage-mediated tumoricidal activity was augmented . These results demonstrate that C . parvum can augment the antitumor activity of DFMO in vivo, possibly through macrophage activation . Furthermore, in contrast to many other cancer chemotherapeutic drugs, DFMO is apparently not immunosuppressive regarding tumoricidal effector cells.

Chemotherapy, 1985, 31(5), 372 - 82
Multiple drug-resistant Corynebacteriaceae: in vitro and in vivo (murine) studies; Traub WH; Five multiple-drug-resistant (MDR) Corynebacterium isolates, which differed in several biochemical traits, were sensitive to rifampin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin; ciprofloxacin was more active than enoxacin and norfloxacin . The MDR Corynebacterium isolates uniformly were resistant against fresh human serum, but varied in susceptibility to fresh, defibrinated human blood . In combined blood plus antimicrobial drug assays, vancomycin was more active than rifampin, which in turn was more active than ciprofloxacin . Outbred NMRI mice essentially were resistant against the MDR Corynebacterium isolates, as were mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide (leukopenia), type II Carrageenan (blockade of macrophages), or zymosan (depletion of complement), or with the combination of cyclophosphamide plus zymosan . However, mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide plus type II Carrageenan proved somewhat more susceptible.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1985, 20(2), 117 - 21
Cytotoxic factor production by Kupffer cells elicited with Lactobacillus casei and Corynebacterium parvum; Hashimoto S et al.; The ability of Kupffer cells, spleen macrophages, pulmonary macrophages, and peritoneal macrophages (PM) to produce cytotoxic factor (CTF) was investigated in vitro . The production of CTF by Kupffer cells elicited with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) or Lactobacillus casei YIT9018 (LC9018) was higher than that of spleen, pulmonary macrophages, or PM . In addition, oxygen radical (OR) production by Kupffer cells or PM was measured . The production of OR by Kupffer cells or PM was significantly augmented by i.v . or i.p . injection of LC9018 or CP . No significant correlation was observed between the increase in OR production by Kupffer cells or PM and CTF production by Kupffer cells or PM elicited with either organism . It was suggested that activated Kupffer cells may be one important source of CTF production in serum and that the CTF-producing macrophages may be different from the OR-producing macrophages.

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jan, 46(1), 13 - 5
Detection of Corynebacterium equi-specific antibody in horses by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Hietala SK et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was developed to measure naturally occurring Corynebacterium equi specific antibody in horse serum . Antibody against C equi was demonstrated in normal adults and was passively transferred to foals . Adult levels of specific antibody were reached by 5 to 6 months of age in healthy foals . Decreased early antibody levels were demonstrated in a limited number of foals with confirmed C equi infection.

Vet Med Nauki, 1985, 22(8), 79 - 86
{Effect of ultraviolet-irradiated autologous blood on the biochemical indices of sheep with a Corynebacterium infection}; Filipov Zh et al.; Twelve sheep were used in two groups of six animals each (a control and a test one) . Both control and test animals were infected with a 24-hour broth culture of Corynebacterium pyogenes . The infection was followed up in the course of five days after which the animals of both groups were subjected to autohemotransfusion, whereas the blood transfused with the controls was not treated, and the blood transfused with the test animals was treated with ultra violet rays in vitro . Following the transfusion of both untreated and treated blood the amount of blood sugar rose, it reaching higher levels in the case UV-treated blood . There were changes in the total protein and the protein fractions induced by the Corynebacterial infection, however, the initial levels were more rapidly restored in the case of transfusing UV-treated blood . With autohemotransfusion the values of glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase in all animals dropped . The change was more rapidly and more strongly expressed with the transfusion of UV-treated blood.

Vet Med Nauki, 1985, 22(5), 85 - 9
{Pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin trihydrate in sheep infected experimentally with Corynebacterium pyogenes and Escherichia coli}; Drumev D et al.; A comparative experiment was carried out with sheep that were infected i/v and via the joints with Corynebacterium pyogenes and Escherichia coli, and with normal sheep left as controls . The pharmacokinetic parameters were determined of amoxicillin-trihydrate following its i/m application to all animals in a 20 percent oil suspension . It was found that there was delayed excretion of the antibiotic, and as a rule it was maintained in higher concentrations in the diseased animals . the differences were likely to be due to changes in the metabolic processes and to injury of the kidneys.

Urol Res, 1985, 13(3), 123 - 30
Quantitative measurements of humoral immune response in mice to a FANFT induced bladder tumor; Studer UE et al.; Using unfixed mouse bladder tumor cells (MBT) as target cells and a modified avidin-biotin-complex (ABC) method made it possible to detect a humoral immune response in C3H mice with growing MBT tumors . The rise of the serum levels is significant (p less than 0.005) when compared to control animals and correlates with the tumor size . Mice with recurrences after surgical removal of the primary tumor had significantly (p less than 0.05) higher serum values than animals without recurrence . Purulent or granulomatous inflammatory changes, muscle necrosis, growth of a lymphoma or an ovarian carcinoma did not significantly change the results (p less than 0.05) . Injection of myeloma cells from a different strain of mice caused a minimal, but significant increase in the values when compared to controls (p less than 0.0001) . However, the slope of the curve differed significantly (p less than 0.05) from that in mice with MBT tumors . Irradiated MBT cells or Corynebacterium parvum used as immunomodulators significantly increased the serum values (p less than 0.001) . In the presence of a growing MBT tumor, however, the immunomodulation did not substantially falsify the results . The serum values were related to the corresponding tumor sizes.

Vet Med Nauki, 1985, 22(2), 59 - 66
{Biochemical changes in the blood of sheep with experimental Corynebacterium infection}; Borisov I; Investigations were carried out with 24 sheep divided into two groups of twelve animals . The first group were infected via the lateral recessus of the tarsal joint with 2 cm3 of a 24-hour broth culture of Corynebacterium pyogenes, and the second one were infected i/v with 3 cm3 of the same culture . The changes in the total protein, protein fractions, and blood electrolites in the blood were followed up . It was found that the infection of Corynebacterium pyogenes affected the total reactivation of the animals and led to immunobiologic reconstruction changes . There were hyperproteinemia which depended on the route of infection as well as the severity of its course, and hyperglobulinemia which was "at the expense of' blood albumin . Noticed were also hypercalcemia, hyperpotassemia, and lower sodium and phosphorus levels.

J Leukoc Biol, 1985 Jan, 37(1), 101 - 8
In vitro generation of procoagulant activity by Corynebacterium parvum-stimulated mononuclear leukocytes; Miragliotta G et al.; Thromboembolic complications are known in cancer patients after i.v . administration of Corynebacterium parvum . We examined the ability of this organism to induce production of procoagulant activity by human blood mononuclear leukocytes in vitro . After 4 hours incubation Corynebacterium parvum was an effective stimulant for mononuclear leukocytes, behaving in the same way as the typical gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, whereas mononuclear cells incubated with Staphylococcus aureus were not affected . Corynebacterium parvum used was found devoid of endotoxin by the Limulus assay and was not affected by Polymyxin B, which, on the contrary, inhibited Escherichia coli-induced production of procoagulant activity . Intact Corynebacterium parvum may be required for the production of procoagulant activity and, although this specific aspect of the research will require further study, from the exposed data it is concluded that such a production could be a factor contributing to the pathogenesis of the coagulopathy following Corynebacterium parvum therapy.

Acta Neuropathol (Berl), 1985, 68(1), 22 - 6
The effect of treatment with Corynebacterium parvum on the development and growth of experimental hematogenic metastases of schwannoma in the rat; Bash JA et al.; Single i.v . administration of Corynebacterium parvum 5 days before i.v . injection of 10(6) tissue cultured syngeneic schwannoma cells in Lewis rats resulted in extension of survival time (P less than 0.05) . There was a significant decrease in metastatic tumor incidence for lung, heart, and kidney and decreased lung tumor growth with approximately 50% of the lung tumor burden of untreated controls (P less than 0.05) . Rats treated similarly with C . parvum 10 days after tumor cell injection showed no enhanced survival; to the contrary, their survival was shortened . Moreover, tumor incidence in the post-treated group was not significantly different from the control but significantly increased in comparison to the pretreated group . Enhanced lung tumor growth resulted in a final tumor burden about twice that of untreated controls (P less than 0.05).

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1985 Jan, 16(1), 41 - 6
Effects of immunization of mothers on the immune reaction of their offspring . II . Significance of enhanced antigen elimination by maternal antibodies on the suppression of the offspring; Izuchi K et al.; In the offspring of sheep erythrocyte (SRBC)- or chicken erythrocyte (CRBC)-immunized mothers, generation of cytotoxicity and plaque forming cells (PFC) were suppressed, while delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) was not . We performed experiments to analyse the mechanism of this suppression . Antigen specific antibodies, which enhanced opsonization or antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), might have a close relation to the suppression (1) . The suppression was weakened by a high-dose of antigen challenge or macrophage blockade with colloidal carbon, while enhanced by macrophage activation with Corynebacterium parvum . In contrast, secondary immune responses in the offspring showed the same amplitude as in normal mice . Therefore, the suppression in the offspring might be a result from the early antigen elimination by enhanced opsonization or ADCC due to passive antibodies . But, generation of memory cells or effector cells of DTH might not be affected in the presence of passively transferred antibodies.

Cell Immunol, 1985 Jan, 90(1), 24 - 31
Establishment of growth factor-dependent MOPC 104E cell line in vitro; Shrestha K et al.; The MOPC 104E cell line has been adapted to grow in vitro using a combination of feeder layer and growth factor(s) . The growth of this myeloma cell line is dependent on the presence of growth factor(s) . Growth-promoting activity generated from T-cell-mitogen-stimulated, Corynebacterium parvum-stimulated spleen cell culture supernatant, and peritoneal adherent cell culture supernatants gives dose-dependent proliferation . Generation of growth factors in the serum-free bovine serum albumin-substituted media and a rapid assay system based on {3H}thymidine uptake for the quantitation of growth promoting activity are described.

Rev Stomatol Chir Maxillofac, 1985, 86(4), 241 - 4
{Actinomycosis . What describes the pathological events referred to by this term?}; Gaillard A; The disease named "actinomycosis" hadn't found its final position in infections pathology . Many terms were successively created to describe in a better way similar entities: actinomycosis, pseudo-actinomycosis, actinobacteriosis, corynebacteriosis, ramibacteriosis.. . is just a part of the terminology . After the analysis of the classical conception of the "actinomycosis" and, also, the latest data, the author came to the conclusion that the facts are just a clinical manifestation, related to the germ, of the large syndrome of the Infections of the soft tissues.

Leuk Res, 1985, 9(1), 175 - 84
Immunomodulation of NK and ADCC by Corynebacterium parvum in acute myeloid leukaemia patients; Hokland P et al.; Natural killer (NK)- and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity assays were performed using cryopreserved effector cells in AML patients receiving i.c . and s.c . injections of Corynebacterium parvum . A dose related increase in NK could be demonstrated with peaks in NK at day 1 with full Cp dosage and at day 14 with 50% doses . This increase was attributable to the Cp vaccine since normal donors receiving tetanus toxoid or pneumococcal polysaccharide and AML patients randomized not to receive Cp did not show similar NK boosting . The increase was probably due to interferon induction in vivo and could be demonstrated with purified T- and non-T-lymphocyte subsets . However, longitudinal measurements showed that the ability of Cp to boost NK was gradually lost over 4-6 months . ADCC studies showed that while lymphocyte-ADCC was not consistently affected by Cp, monocyte-ADCC was enhanced with maximal cytotoxicity at day 14.

Exp Cell Biol, 1985, 53(2), 85 - 92
Effects of murine tumor necrosis factor on Friend erythroleukemic cells; Suyama K et al.; Tumor necrosis inducing factor (TNF), a 140,000 molecular weight glycoprotein present in the serum of Corynebacterium parvum endotoxin-treated mice, was cytotoxic toward Friend virus-transformed erythroleukemic cells (FELC) . These cells grow in culture as undifferentiated pro-erythroblasts but can be induced to differentiate in a limited fashion along the erythroid pathway to orthochromatic normoblasts by various agents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) . Partially and highly purified preparations of TNF were cytotoxic toward logarithmically growing FELC whereas a comparable serum protein fraction from C . parvum treated mice or endotoxin from E . coli had no effect upon FELC viability . DMSO-induced cells were more sensitive to the action of TNF requiring only about half the concentration needed to produce 50% kill in noninduced cells . Inhibition of hemoglobin formation was TNF dose-related and could be decreased by 94% . TNF was also cytotoxic toward DMSO-induced cells in stationary phase and mitomycin C treated noninduced FELC . Neuraminidase modification of the surface of FELC increased the cytotoxicity of TNF by 50% . These results demonstrate that TNF destroys FELC whether they are nondividing, dividing or partially differentiated and suggest that TNF may accomplish this by affecting cell metabolism after internalization.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1985, 19(3), 183 - 8
Evaluation of in vivo and in vitro effectivity of immune defense against a spontaneously arising, nonlymphoid rat tumor . I . Analysis of natural immune defense; Zoller M; Possible mechanisms of natural defense against a nonimmunogenic, nonlymphoid rat tumor were evaluated in vitro and examined for effectivity in vivo, using BSp6S, the subcutaneously grown transplantation line of a spontaneously arising fibrosarcoma in the BDX rat strain, which is highly susceptible to natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages (Mo) . The role of nonspecific immune defense in vivo was demonstrated by eliminating NK cells by irradiation and Mo by silica treatment . Especially after depletion of NK cells a significant acceleration of tumor growth and a reduction in the number of cells required for tumor takes was observed . Activation of Mo by Corynebacterium parvum (CP) did lead to retardation of tumor growth; prevention of tumor growth was only achieved after inoculation of a marginal dose of tumor cells . Activation of NK cells was of minor influence . It is concluded that NK cells and Mo are the main influences on survival time, the effectiveness of NK cells being limited to early periods of tumor growth.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1985, 19(2), 130 - 5
Development of hyporesponsiveness of natural killer cells to augmentation of activity after multiple treatments with biological response modifiers; Saito T et al.; Four biological response modifiers (BRMs), MVE-2 (maleic anhydride divinyl ether), Corynebacterium parvum (C . Parvum), PolyICLC (polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid stabilized with poly-L-lysine), and mouse alpha beta-interferon (alpha beta-IFN), were tested to assess whether repeated treatments would repeatedly induce or sustain augmented levels of natural killer (NK) cell activity and/or macrophage (M0)-mediated inhibition of tumor cell growth . In contrast to a significant increase in splenic NK activity obtained with a single treatment with each of the agents, multiple treatments with these BRMs led to a progressive decrease in the degree of augmentation of NK activity . In contrast, multiple injections with these agents resulted in sustained augmentation of M0-mediated reactivity . Separation of the spleen cells by Percoll discontinuous density gradient centrifugation indicated that with mice treated once with each BRM high levels of NK activity were detected in the lower density fractions and that these fractions contained a higher percentage of large granular lymphocytes (LGLs) than that found in comparable fractions from normal mice . In contrast, cells in the lower density fractions from mice that received multiple treatments had decreased NK activity and an appreciably lower proportion of LGLs . These results indicate that the development of hyporesponsiveness to augmentation of splenic NK-cell activity following multiple treatments with BRMs may be attributable to a decreased percentage of LGLs, the effector cell population responsible for NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Microbiol Immunol, 1985, 29(12), 1175 - 84
Correlation of in vitro properties of Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi with virulence for mice; Takai S et al.; To study the virulence of Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi, seven ATCC strains of different serotypes were tested for their LD50 in mice, clearance of the organism from the lungs and spleen following intravenous or intratracheal inoculation, and in vitro interaction with murine peritoneal macrophages . Strains ATCC 33704 and 33705 were virulent for mice and multiplied in the lungs and spleen, resulting in death of the animal in 5 days . The other five strains were avirulent for mice . The number of bacteria in the lungs and spleen of mice given these five strains decreased immediately . Pulmonary clearance of strains ATCC 33703, 33706, and 33707 was significantly more rapid than that of the virulent strains ATCC 33704 and 33705 12 hr after inoculation . Complete clearance of the avirulent strain ATCC 33707 occurred by day 14, while that of virulent ATCC 33704 and 33705 strains occurred by day 30 . The virulent strains ATCC 33704 and 33705 were resistant not only to phagocytosis but also to intracellular killing by macrophages . Strains ATCC 33702 and 33706 were rapidly killed by macrophages although they were rather resistant to phagocytosis . Strain ATCC 33703 was easily phagocytized though resistant to killing by macrophages . The most avirulent strains, ATCC 33707 and 6939, were easily phagocytized and rapidly killed by macrophages . These results indicate that virulence appeared to be related to the ability of the organisms to resist clearance from the lungs and spleen and to resist phagocytosis and intracellular killing by macrophages.

Proc Natl Sci Counc Repub China B, 1985 Jan, 9(1), 70 - 3
Utilization of glutamate accumulating bacterial cells for production of ribonucleotides; Hsieh WT; Corynebacterium glutamicum cells are industrially used for glutamate production . However, the waste that contains microbial cells, cellular debris, residual sugars, ammonia and metabolites seriously pollutes the environment . The cells are recovered and utilized for ribonucleotide production so that the pollution caused by the cells is eliminated . Nucleic acid is extracted from the cells and is hydrolyzed with nuclease P1 from Penicillium citrinum . The hydrolysate is fractionated with Dowex-50 and Dowex-1 into 5'-CMP, 5'-UMP, 5'-GMP and 5'-AMP . The products are characterized by electrophoresis, ultraviolet light absorbance, and 5'-nucleotidase.

Mol Gen Mikrobiol Virusol, 1985 Jan, (1), 17 - 22
{Cloning in Escherichia coli of the mutant gene coding the diphtheria toxin}; Iakubovich NV et al.; Bacteriophage beta 45 of Corynebacterium diphtheriae was harvested . The extracted DNA of the bacteriophage was digested by the restriction endonuclease BamHI and inserted into the BamHI cleavage site of pUC19 vector plasmid . Plasmid pNVY5 containing a mutant gene crm45 of diphtheriae toxin in a 3.9 bpn fragment was isolated from the hybrid plasmids obtained . Cell free extracts of E . coli strain TG1 (pVNY5) contain the nontoxic protein crm45 possessing the specific enzymatic activity of diphtheriae toxin (ADP ribosylation on wheat elongation factor two) . According to orientation of BamHI fragment in pNVY5 plasmid it is concluded that the crm45 gene is expressed using its own promoter.

J Ultrastruct Res, 1985 Jan, 90(1), 80 - 8
Cytochemical study of macrophage lysosomal inorganic trimetaphosphatase and acid phosphatase; Petty HR et al.; Cytochemical investigations have associated acid inorganic trimetaphosphatase (TMPase) activity with the lysosomes of certain cell types . We have used the modified staining technique of Berg to show that this enzyme activity is present in normal mononuclear phagocytes and macrophage cell lines . We have found this enzyme activity to be present in murine RAW264 macrophages, in human U937 macrophages, in normal human blood monocytes, and in guinea pig peritoneal macrophages . All of the RAW264 and U937 macrophages showed intense TMPase activity . Many of the human monocytes and most of the guinea pig macrophages were labeled by this method . The reaction product was associated with the lysosomes of these cell types . The lysosomal staining-pattern was similar to that of acid phosphatase . Differences with regard to Golgi staining were noted . This indicates that TMPase is a lysosomal enzyme of mammalian macrophages . The distinction between TMPase and acid phosphatase activity has been demonstrated by measuring the pH optimum of each enzyme . Using substrates identical to those of the ultrastructural cytochemistry, we show that the pH optimum of TMPase is 4.0 and that of acid phosphatase is 5.0 . The enzymatic activities are therefore ultrastructurally and biochemically distinct . Following phagocytosis of latex, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), or Corynebacterium parvum, TMPase has been found to be associated with phagosomes . This enzyme may take part in the degradation of phagocytosed materials, particularly microorganisms which contain inorganic polyphosphates and metaphosphates.

Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol Incl Mol Pathol, 1985, 48(4), 317 - 24
The involvement of dendritic cells in the handling of the immune stimulant C . parvum . A morphological investigation using immunoperoxidase techniques; Mignot MH et al.; In earlier experiments we showed that locally administered Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) stimulated the T-cell system and had a beneficial effect on the recurrence rate of surgically resected cancers of the uterine cervix . In this paper we report the use of an immunoperoxidase technique to trace C . parvum antigen in the draining lymph nodes . In a guinea pig model the popliteal lymph node was studied after the injection of 70 micrograms of C . parvum in the hind footpad . At 6 h, intact bacteria were detected in sinus histiocytes . A transient granuloma formation was apparent between days 2 and 6, originating in the subcapsular and interfollicular areas . Three antigen-positive cell types were observed in these granulomas: a) cytophagocytic macrophages which were weakly positive, the antigen being distributed in clumps; b) dendritic cells with a strong, fine-granular positivity and c) some epithelioid cells with a small positive cytoplasmic rim . The majority of epithelioid cells was negative . Antigen-positive dendritic cells were also observed just beyond the granulomas in the T-dependent paracortical area . These cells are known as interdigitating cells (IDC) and present antigen to T-cells . Ten days following C . parvum injection the lymph node follicles became positive and the antigen could be detected in the long cellular protrusions of the dendritic reticulum cells (DRC) . DRC probably play a part in immunological memory by trapping antigen in the form of immune complexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Am J Vet Res, 1985 Jan, 46(1), 212 - 4
Diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infections in sheep, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Maki LR et al.; Lambs infected with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (ovis) by injecting suspensions of live bacteria into the wool-free area of the axilla developed antibody against cell wall antigens and antitoxin, as measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay . The toxin was a better antigen for measuring infection than was the cell wall antigen . The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay appeared to be as sensitive as the antihemolysin inhibition test for detecting antitoxin and was easier to perform.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1985, 7(5), 783 - 7
Importance of coordinated immune stimulation in experimental antitumor treatment; Cerutti I et al.; We have proposed an antitumor therapeutic model in mice grafted with Crocker 180TG cells . The treatment strategy involves a coordinated immune stimulation which should always precede treatment of target cells . Potent stimulators mobilizing the majority of immune competent cells can be injected only once since repetition results in adverse effects on the response . Thus, to circumvent this difficulty, we propose the amplification, after a single shot of Corynebacterium parvum extract, of the immune response by cimetidine . Indeed, it has been reported that cimetidine inhibits suppressor T cell functions . The second phase acting on the target employs interferon and arginine butyrate since they reconvert a number of transformed target cells to normal phenotype . Important antitumor effects can be obtained in the present model even if the treatment is initiated relatively late after tumor graft . All the drugs employed are harmless on normal cells and are used at relatively low concentrations.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1985, 64(3), 175 - 94
Immunomodulators and allergy; Valcurone G et al.; The role played by immunomodulation in allergy is critically reviewed . The prospective mechanisms of immunomodulation, specifically including those showing relation with allergic phenomena, are taken into consideration, examining the main interfering factors . Type I, IgE-mediated immunoreaction, in its two aspects, IgE synthesis and mediator's release, is analyzed, bearing in mind some agents involved or affecting these processes, mimicking immunomodulation . Other agents, such as Corynebacterium granulosum derivatives and glucocorticoids have been also appraised, to highlight their action in this connection.

Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1984 Dec 15, 150(8), 998 - 9
Clinically silent polymicrobial amnionitis and intrauterine fetal death associated with a Cu-7 intrauterine contraceptive device; Waites KB et al.; PIP: This article presents a case of silent polymicrobial amnionitis with subsequent intrauterine fetal death in a 34-year old woman who conceived with a Cu-7 IUD in place . There were no apparent pregnancy complications or symptoms of uterine infection during early pregnancy . At 16 weeks gestation, the patient underwent amniocentesis for cytogenetic studies . 5 different microorganisms--Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum--were isolated from the amniotic fluid . 2 week later, intrauterine fetal death was detected . U . urealyticum was at this point isolated from the cervix and placental and fetal tissues . This organism, which has been associated with chorioamnionitis, spontaneous abortion, and neonatal death, is suspected to have contributed to the fetal death in this case . U . urealyticum can invade the amniotic sac with fetal membranes intact and persist for 8 weeks without overt effects . This case illustrates the risks associated with nonremoval of an IUD after contraceptive failure .

Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 1984 Dec, 51(4), 263 - 7
An improved Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis vaccine for sheep; Cameron CM et al.; Extensive experiments in mice confirmed that the immunogenicity of a Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis vaccine could not be significantly improved with the use of various adjuvants . Immunity against C . pseudotuberculosis likewise could not be enhanced by incorporating various immunostimulants into the vaccine or by the use of live vaccines . However, a combination of aluminium hydroxide gel and saponin as adjuvant did have a beneficial effect . This vaccine was tolerated better, and a smaller dose apparently protected sheep more effectively against intralymph node challenge than the currently available alum-precipitated vaccine.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1984 Dec, 258(2-3), 296 - 309
Fatty acid composition of a Propionibacterium acnes vaccine and its relationship to immunostimulatory activity; Julak J et al.; The distribution of lipids of Propionibacterium acnes (Corynebacterium parvum) vaccine strain in chloroform-methanol, ethanol and light petroleum extracts was determined . Firmly bound lipids released by hydrolysis were also investigated . The petroleum extract differs from other lipidic fractions in its fatty acid composition . The presence of linolic, tuberculostearic and 10-ketostearic acids and branched fatty alcohols was observed in addition to previously described fatty acids of P . acnes . Changes in fatty acid composition during growth of the vaccine strain were determined and extremes were found at 95 h of cultivation . These extremes coincided with a maximum in the immunostimulatory efficiency as measured by the spleen enlargement test . The biological activity of static and stirred cultures of the vaccine strain was in correlation with their fatty acid composition.

Vaccine, 1984 Dec, 2(4), 261 - 4
Effect of stearoyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine on host resistance to Corynebacterium kutscheri infection in cortisone-treated mice; Ishihara C et al.; Opportunistic corynebacteriosis was induced successfully by infection with Corynebacterium kutscheri in cortisone-treated mice and the ability of stearoyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine derivatives in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution or encapsulated into liposomes for restoring impaired resistance was examined . 6-O-Stearoyl-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine (L18-MDP) in liposomes and N alpha-acetyl muramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutaminyl-N epsilon-stearoyl-L-lysine (MDP-Lys-L18) both in PBS solution and in liposomes were shown to restore depressed resistance to infection of C . kutscheri when injected intravenously before infection . Treatment with L18-MDP in cortisone-treated mice inhibited growth of C . kutscheri in the liver and kidney for as long as three days after infection.

J Pediatr Surg, 1984 Dec, 19(6), 810 - 7
The effect of the immunomodulator corynebacterium parvum on hemisplenectomized mice; Cooney DR et al.; The immunomodulator Corynebacterium parvum stimulates the reticuloendothelial system and causes splenic hypertrophy . The ability of C parvum to stimulate splenic regeneration in hemisplenectomized mice and decrease susceptibility to intranasal pneumococcal challenge was studied . Mice were divided into two groups, control sham-operated (n = 48) and hemisplenectomized (n = 47) animals . Ten days later, each group was divided into two subgroups, those injected with C parvum (700 mcg IVP) and those injected with an equivalent volume of saline . The animals were challenged with Streptococcus pneumoniae, which was injected into one nostril three weeks postoperatively, and mortality was assessed . Four and one-half weeks postoperatively, splenic tissue was removed, measured, weighed, and submitted for histologic examination . The number of spleen cells per gram of tissue was assessed . Treatment with C parvum resulted in a significant increase in the splenic weight in both hemisplenectomized and control animals compared to similar saline-injected mice (P less than 0.001) . The percentage increase in spleen weight of hemisplenectomized mice (106%) was significantly greater than that for control animals (56%; P less than 0.01) . There was no significant difference among experimental groups in the number of spleen cells per gram of splenic tissue or in the histologic characteristics, indicating that C parvum stimulated relatively normal splenic growth . Survival following pneumococcal challenge was significantly increased for hemisplenectomized mice by C parvum treatment to a level that did not significantly differ from control mice . This study demonstrates that in mice the deficits related to resistance to infection and spleen size following hemisplenectomy are significantly improved by treatment with C parvum.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Dec, 20(6), 1219 - 20
Recurrent breast abscesses caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum; Berger SA et al.; A 42-year-old woman developed severe, recurrent breast abscesses caused by Corynebacterium minutissimum . Prior reports of C . minutissimum infection have been limited to erythrasma, a minor dermatosis . The microbiological and clinical features of this species were reviewed.

Immunopharmacology, 1984 Dec, 8(3-4), 121 - 8
Attempts to use thiabendazole to improve the immune response in dexamethasone-treated or stressed cattle; Roth JA et al.; Thiabendazole was evaluated in two separate experiments for its ability to enhance the immune response in dexamethasone-treated or stressed cattle . In the first experiment the cattle received either no drug treatment (controls), dexamethasone intramuscularly (IM), or dexamethasone IM plus thiabendazole orally . All animals were inoculated with heat-killed Brucella abortus strain 19, equine ferritin, tetanus toxoid, and live Corynebacterium equi at the time dexamethasone therapy was initiated . Dexamethasone (0.04 mg/kg/day IM for 3 days) significantly (p less than 0.05) inhibited the lymphocyte blastogenic response to mitogens and the antibody response to ferritin and tetanus toxoid . Thiabendazole given orally (16 mg/kg/day) beginning 24 h prior to antigen and dexamethasone administration and continued for 6 days failed to prevent the dexamethasone-induced suppression of the lymphocyte blastogenic or antibody responses . In the second experiment 51 cattle were divided into a control group and a thiabendazole-treated group . The animals were stressed by weaning, injection of antigen (equine ferritin, tetanus toxoid, B . abortus strain 19 and killed bovine viral diarrhea virus) and castration of the bulls on the day that thiabendazole therapy was started . Thiabendazole administered orally for 5 days at a dosage of 20 mg/kg did not enhance the antibody response to any of the antigens, and was associated with a significantly lower antibody response to B . abortus.

Parasitology, 1984 Dec, 89 ( Pt 3), 417 - 24
The importance of parasite load in the killing of Plasmodium vinckei in mice treated with Corynebacterium parvum or alloxan monohydrate; Cox FE et al.; Mice pre-treated with Corynebacterium parvum and later challenged with Plasmodium vinckei become infected but do not die whereas control mice do . When pre-treated mice were challenged with 1, 10, 1 X 10(2), 1 X 10(4), 1 X 10(5) or 1 X 10(6) parasites, the pre-patent periods correlated directly with the number of parasites injected, but the subsequent parasitaemias reached similar levels . This suggests that parasite killing, resulting from pre-treatment with C . parvum, is not triggered until the parasite load has reached a particular threshold . The injection of alloxan monohydrate, which brings about the release of toxic oxygen intermediates thought to be involved in non-specific immunity, has little effect on P . vinckei infections until the parasitaemia is relatively high . This indicates that oxygen-mediated parasite killing also does not occur until the parasitaemia has reached a particular threshold . It is suggested that it is only at relatively high parasitaemias that the factors involved in parasite killing are able to enter the infected red blood cells.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1984 Dec, 258(4), 492 - 7
Serotaxonomical analyses of strains referred to Nocardia amarae and Rhodococcus equi; Ridell M; Four strains of Nocardia amarae and four strains of Rhodococcus equi (earlier designated Corynebacterium equi) were analysed by means of the comparative immunodiffusion technique for taxonomical purposes . Nineteen reference precipitation systems, representing different species of Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Nocardia, Rhodococcus, Streptomyces, and related taxa were employed . The N . amarae strains differed serologically from the reference strains of Nocardia and their assignment to the latter genus was therefore questioned . Furthermore, the results provided additional evidence for the view that R . equi belongs to the genus Rhodococcus and not to the genus Corynebacterium.

J S Afr Vet Assoc, 1984 Dec, 55(4), 187 - 93
Antibiotic susceptibility patterns of mastitis pathogens isolated from Bloemfontein dairy herds; Swartz R et al.; The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacteria associated with subclinical mastitis in Bloemfontein fresh milk dairy herds were determined . A total of 141 bacterial strains tested, consisted of Staphylococcus aureus (93 strains), coagulase negative staphylococci (17), streptococci (12), Corynebacterium bovis (8), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7) and enterobacteria (4) . Antibiotic susceptibility was determined qualitatively using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and quantitatively by determining the minimal inhibitory concentrations using the agar dilution method . The utilization of commercial intramammary antibiotic preparations on the dairy farms is also discussed . The Gram-positive bacteria were generally not exceptionally resistant to the antibiotics tested . S . aureus susceptibility figures for penicillin G were 66% and for methicillin (or cloxacillin) 100% . The coagulase negative staphylocci in contrast were relatively more resistant than the coagulase positive staphylococci . The enterobacteria and particularly the P . aeruginosa strains, were extremely resistant to all antibiotics tested . In the latter case even carbenicillin and gentamicin susceptibility figures were low . A general mastitis control programme is discussed.

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Dec, 93(3), 405 - 17
Conversion by corynephages and its role in the natural history of diphtheria; Groman NB; The conversion of non-toxinogenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae to toxinogeny has been reviewed . The biology of converting phage and the relationship of converting phages to nonconverting phages are summarized . The significance of these findings to the natural history and evolution of diphtheria is assessed.

Immunobiology, 1984 Dec, 167(5), 495 - 505
Thymus-recruited peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes; Koga Y et al.; The role of the thymus in the generation of antigen-reactive peritoneal exudate T lymphocytes (PETLs) was examined in mice injected with Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum), which exerted functions as a trigger of T cell recruitment from the thymus and as an antigen to induce antigen-reactive T cells . The proliferative response of antigen-reactive PETLs was higher in sham mice than in adult-thymectomized (ATx) mice 3 weeks after injection of C . parvum . When indomethacin (INDO) was injected simultaneously with an injection of proteose peptone for collecting PETLs, the response to C . parvum decreased to an undetectable level in ATx mice, and to a low but still positive level in sham mice . The addition of PGE2 to the culture suppressed the proliferative response of PETLs from Sham mice, but did not suppress the response of ATx mice . These results suggested the existence of different subsets in antigen-reactive T cells in terms of thymus-dependency and PGE2-dependency or -sensitivity.

Immunobiology, 1984 Dec, 168(3-5), 172 - 81
Heterogeneity of macrophages and dendritic cells as accessory cells; Lee KC et al.; A number of different antigens was used to define the functional limits of Ia-bearing murine dendritic cells and macrophages in the processing and presentation of antigens for T cell activation . The results show considerable functional overlap as well as differences attributable to known properties of the cells . Thus both cell types could present soluble antigens up to the size of polymeric flagellin (M.W . in millions) about equally well . The nonphagocytic dendritic cells were most effective at inducing mixed leukocyte reactions in accordance with their high constitutive level of Ia expression . On the other hand, splenic macrophages were three to nine times better than dendritic cells at presenting particulate, heat-killed Corynebacterium parvum organisms to T cells lines, and small activated macrophages from bone marrow cultures were three times better again than splenic macrophages . Large activated bone marrow macrophages were not effective antigen presenters probably because of nonspecific suppression . These observations are consistent with the phagocytic and lysosomal activities of macrophages that enable them to ingest and process particulate antigen efficiently . Nevertheless, the capacity of dendritic cells and the dendritic-like line, P388.AD.4, to present particulate bacterial antigens suggests that these cells could either do the processing extracellularly or pick up soluble antigenic moieties shed from the bacteria and antigen processing macrophages . Glutaraldehyde fixation of C . parvum presumably stopped antigen shedding, since it produced a greater reduction of the T cell response with dendritic cells and P388.AD.4 as presenting cells than with macrophage presenters . Alternatively, the fixation could make the bacteria less "digestible" to dendritic cells than to macrophages . More characterization of the fate of antigens following encounter with accessory cells is necessary to distinguish between these possibilities.

J Leukoc Biol, 1984 Dec, 36(6), 719 - 27
Increased transglutaminase activity in elicited and activated macrophages: relationship to production of superoxide anion; Harris LK et al.; To evaluate whether transglutaminase (TG) might be involved in production of oxygen metabolites, TG activity was measured in resident, in activated, and in elicited murine peritoneal macrophages . These various types of macrophages show a wide diversity in their ability to generate oxygen metabolites . Like other transglutaminases, the macrophage enzyme was found to be a calcium-dependent enzyme that was stabilized by dithiothreitol and inhibited by dansylcadaverine . The TG activity was approximately six-times higher in lysates of LPS-elicited macrophages compared with lysates of resident macrophages; this paralleled the six-fold increase in phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated release of superoxide anion (O2-) . From mixing experiments, the difference in TG activity was not due to an endogenous cellular inhibitor in the resident cells . The apparent Km of TG for putrescine was similar in lysates of resident and LPS-elicited macrophages, but the Vmax was significantly greater in lysates of LPS-elicited cells . Macrophages obtained from mice injected with either viable bacillus Calmette-Guerin, muramyl dipeptide, or killed Corynebacterium parvum released three- to six-times more O2- than did resident macrophages . The TG activity in these macrophages was also two- to six- times higher than in resident cells . However, macrophages that were primed by exposure to LPS in vitro exhibited increased production of O2- but no increase in TG activity . We conclude that enhanced TG activity is not a prerequisite for the enhanced O2- production observed in activated macrophages.

Int J Cancer, 1984 Nov 15, 34(5), 717 - 23
Mouse Lewis lung carcinoma and hepatoma ascites treatment by combination of liposome chemotherapy and non-specific immunotherapy; Patel KR et al.; Liposomes have been used as biological carriers of anti-tumor drugs, and their potential use has been tested in mouse Lewis lung carcinoma and hepatoma ascites tumor models . Ara-C3 given by the intraperitoneal i.p . route either at 35 mg/kg in a single dose or at 2.5 mg/kg/dose with 5 doses/day for 3 days had no effect on the average survival time of i.v . implanted LLC . However, the same single dose of Ara-C encapsulated in positively charged MLV significantly improved the average survival time of LLC-bearing mice . MTX was chosen as a test drug for the treatment of hepatoma ascites . Non-encapsulated MTX given at either 3 or 30 mg/kg by the i.p . route had little effect on the average survival of i.p.-implanted hepatoma ascites . However, MTX encapsulated in SUV at a 3 mg/kg dose by the i.p . route significantly improved the average survival time of tumor-bearing mice . A combination of chemotherapy and non-specific immunotherapy has also been tested with these 2 tumor models . Two non-specific microbial immune stimulators, Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) and Corynebacterium parvum (CP) were tested by both the i.v . and i.p . routes . A combination of BCG therapy with non-encapsulated anti-tumor drugs was not effective for either of the tumor models . A combination of BCG therapy with liposome therapy appeared to improve the average survival time of LLC-bearing mice . In particular, BCG treatment by the i.p . route in combination with liposome therapy resulted in a 20% long-term survival rate among treated mice . However, BCG therapy by either route in combination with SUV encapsulated MTX therapy had no effect on the average survival time of hepatoma ascites-bearing mice . Immunostimulation with CP at a given dose appears to be superior to BCG therapy for both tumor models . In the treatment of LLC, injection of CP by either the i.v . or i.p . route appears to be equally effective in combination with liposome therapy . However, for the treatment of hepatoma ascites, CP was only effective by the i.p . route, in combination with liposome therapy.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 Nov-Dec, 135B(3), 251 - 67
Description of Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum sp . nov., a leprosy-derived Corynebacterium; Brown S et al.; Leprosy-derived corynebacteria (LDC) have been extensively studied over the past decade . A composite of their biological properties (cell morphology, staining reactions, cellular inclusions and guanine-plus-cytosine content of their deoxyribonucleic acid; 16 strains studied) and their chemical structures (peptidoglycan type, major cell wall polysaccharide, major glycolipid as well as characteristic mycolic acids) appears to define them as members of the genus Corynebacterium . In relation to other corynebacteria found in humans, including "JK corynebacteria", they seem to be distinct . They are here named Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum sp . nov . because they produce a 10-methyloctadecanoic (tuberculostearic) acid (8 strains studied) . This and some of their other attributes are considered in relation to properties of leprosy bacilli and Mycobacterium leprae.

J Infect, 1984 Nov, 9(3), 286 - 8
Corynebacterium ulcerans infection associated with untreated milk; Bostock AD et al.; Infection with Corynebacterium ulcerans has been previously reported in association with cows' milk . Further evidence that the disease is a zoonosis is given in this report of infection in a consumer of untreated milk . The organism was isolated from a sample of milk, and from two cows in a herd of 93 Jersey cattle . One of the farm workers was a symptomless nasal carrier.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Nov, 45(11), 2428 - 30
Equine humoral immune response to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi; Ellenberger MA et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed to test equine serum for the presence of antibodies to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi . Experimental ponies had no detectable antibody to R equi before exposure to the bacterium . After experimental inoculation, animals in groups that received live R equi subcutaneously or intranasally/intratracheally developed high titers to R equi . Noninoculated controls remained seronegative . Serum was also collected from horses of various ages that were naturally exposed to R equi . There was a wide range of anti-R equi titers in these horses . Because experimentally infected horses seroconverted when some naturally infected foals did not seroconvert, the function of antibody in resistance to R equi infection remains unknown.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Nov, 45(11), 2424 - 7
Equine cell-mediated immune response to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi; Ellenberger MA et al.; A lymphocyte blastogenic assay was developed to serve as an in vitro correlate of cell-mediated immunity to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi (R equi) in the equine species . Lymphocytes obtained from a group of experimental ponies showed no response in cell culture to R equi heat extract or lysozyme extract antigens . Ponies were assigned to groups for experimental inoculation . Three ponies were inoculated subcutaneously with live R equi, 3 were given live R equi by intranasal and intratracheal routes, and 4 ponies were left untreated . Lymphocytes from all inoculated ponies had a mitogenic response to R equi antigens in lymphocyte blastogenic assays performed between the 7th and 40th days after inoculation . Lymphocytes from noninoculated control ponies remained unresponsive to R equi antigens . Delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions developed in all experimentally exposed ponies after intradermal administration of the R equi antigen preparations . In a 2nd phase of experimentation, blastogenesis assays were performed on lymphocytes from horses in herds with endemic R equi infections . Results indicated that many of the animals had significant (stimulation index greater than 2) cell-mediated responses to the bacterium, but there was no distinct correlation between the immune response and clinical history . These data indicated that cell-mediated immunity is involved in the interaction of the equine immune system with R equi.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Nov, 45(11), 2393 - 5
Comparison of protection induced in lambs by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis whole cell and cell wall vaccines; Brogden KA et al.; Colostrum-deprived lambs were vaccinated IM with 10 mg (dry weight) of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis whole cells (WC) or cell walls (CW) and their immunity was challenged by IV injection of 3.1 X 10(4) colony-forming units of C pseudotuberculosis . Before challenge exposure, the logarithmic mean antibody titers were 2.0837 in lambs that were vaccinated with WC, 2.6858 in lambs that were vaccinated with CW, and 1.4214 in control lambs . Significant protection was demonstrated by fewer abscesses and organisms in the lungs of lambs vaccinated with WC or CW (P less than 0.05) than in control lambs . By the same criteria, more protection was provided to lambs vaccinated with CW than to lambs vaccinated with WC.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Nov, 45(11), 2251 - 5
Aspects of bacteriology and endocrinology of cows with pyometra and retained fetal membranes; Olson JD et al.; In an effort to clarify the pathogenesis of pyometra, 20 cows with retained fetal membranes and 20 without, but with contemporary calving dates were studied . They were palpated and their uteri were subjected to sample collections for bacteriologic cultural examinations twice weekly for 4 weeks . Blood samples were obtained each day and evaluated for serum progesterone concentration . Three cows without and 3 with retained fetal membranes developed pyometra during the study, resulting in 3 groups designated control (CON), cows with retained fetal membranes (RFM), and cows with pyometra (PYO) . Bacterial isolations occurred less frequently in the CON group than in the PYO and RFM groups . Growth patterns of bacteria also varied between groups . Coliform and incidental bacteria disappeared from the uterus of the PYO group by the end of the 3rd week . In contrast, heavy growth of Corynebacterium pyogenes and gram-negative anaerobic bacteria developed during this same period in the PYO group . In cows with pyometra, the significant persistent pathogenic bacteria recovered were C pyogenes and gram-negative anaerobic bacteria, especially Fusobacterium necrophorum and Bacteroides melaninogenicus . Anaerobic bacteria were isolated simultaneously with C pyogenes in most cows of the PYO group, but less often in CON and RFM groups, and highest growth levels were present near the time of ovulation . Clinically, pyometra usually developed about 10 days after observation of concurrent ovulation and high growth levels of C pyogenes and gram-negative anaerobic bacteria . A hypothesis is presented for development of pyometra in the cow.

J Dairy Sci, 1984 Nov, 67(11), 2571 - 9
Effect of intramammary device on new infection rate, milk yield, and milk somatic cell counts in maryland dairy herds; Corlett NJ et al.; Effectiveness of a polyethylene intramammary device against naturally occurring infections was evaluated in three Maryland herds over 2 yr . Treated cows {62} were fitted with intramammary devices in all quarters of udders . Control cows {62} were sham treated . Rates of new intramammary infection over single lactation in treated and control quarters of primiparous cows averaged 18 and 27% . Reduction of infection rate was due primarily to fewer Corynebacterium bovis infections . Infection rate between multiparous cow treatments were similar . In uninfected quarters cell counts in strippings averaged .11 to .13 X 10(6)/ml and in quarters fitted with intramammary devices concentrations were only .22 to .31 X 10(6) cells/ml . But in infected quarters with intramammary devices, cell counts of strippings were 1.38 to 1.48 X 10(6)/ml . Concentrations of somatic cells of strippings in infected quarters without devices averaged .48 to .63 X 10(6)/ml . Dairy herd improvement cell counts for primiparous and multiparous cows with and without intramammary devices were similar and averaged .2 X 10(6)/ml . Neither milk nor fat production differed . The intramammary device as currently designed is incapable of stimulating a leukocytosis sufficient in stripping milk to prevent intramammary infection.

Infection, 1984 Nov-Dec, 12(6), 387 - 9
Prevalence of diphtheria carriers in a population with disappearing clinical diphtheria; Kalapothaki V et al.; Ten years ago the incidence of diphtheria was relatively high in Greece and a survey of school children had revealed a carrier prevalence of non-toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae of 3,4% . A similar survey undertaken now has revealed that the disease seems to be disappearing . Among 895 school children (6-13 years-old) in seven primary schools of different socioeconomic levels, only seven were carriers of non-toxigenic C . diphtheriae strains, corresponding to a prevalence of 0.8% . Toxigenic strains were not found . All carriers were pupils of the same school, and the carrier state was more frequent during the first three school years . All the carriers were found in a school serving a socioeconomically deprived area . A statistically significant association was found between the prevalence of C . diphtheriae and of other non-pathogenic Corynebacteria.

Obstet Gynecol, 1984 Nov, 64(5), 708 - 14
Lymphocyte cytotoxicity in the peritoneal cavity and blood of patients with ovarian cancer; Berek JS et al.; After an intensive course of combination chemotherapy, 16 patients with minimal residual ovarian cancer that was documented at second-look laparotomy, had an indwelling Tenckhoff catheter placed and underwent multiple peritoneal saline lavages . Lymphocyte-enriched populations from the peritoneal cavity and peripheral blood were obtained by density gradient centrifugation and examined for cell-surface phenotype and a variety of immune functions, including natural killer cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity . Phenotypic characterization revealed that peritoneal lymphocytes consisted primarily of T cells and cells bearing receptors for the crystallizable fragment of immunoglobulin G (IgG) (crystallizable fragment-receptor), and contained a very low number of B cells . Peritoneal natural killer lymphocyte cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity were very low in all but two patients . Incubation of peritoneal lymphocytes with Corynebacterium parvum and interferon in vitro did not result in augmented cytotoxicity against susceptible targets . Supernatants from cultured peritoneal cells of all patients markedly inhibited natural cytotoxic activity of normal donor blood lymphocytes . These results suggest that lymphocytes collected from the peritoneal cavity of patients with minimal residual ovarian cancer are deficient in natural and antibody-dependent cytotoxic effector function . This deficiency may influence the host's ability to control the spread and proliferation of tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity.

J Exp Med, 1984 Nov 1, 160(5), 1431 - 49
Augmentation of organ-associated natural killer activity by biological response modifiers . Isolation and characterization of large granular lymphocytes from the liver; Wiltrout RH et al.; Natural killer (NK) activity in the rat and human has been attributed to cells having the morphology of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) . However, this association has been less clear in the mouse, largely because of difficulties in obtaining highly enriched populations of LGL from normal spleen and blood . We have previously observed that the administration of the biological response modifier (BRM) maleic anhydride divinyl ether (MVE-2) strongly augmented NK activity in lung and liver, and the augmented NK activity coincided with increased resistance to the formation of experimental metastases in these organs . The degree of NK augmentation was most striking in the liver, an unexpected and previously unreported observation . In the present study, both MVE-2 or Corynebacterium parvum induced a dramatic augmentation of liver NK activity, which reached maximum levels 3-5 d after treatment . This augmentation of NK activity in the liver coincided with a large increase in the number of lymphoid cells with the morphological characteristics of LGL that could be isolated from enzymatically digested suspensions of perfused liver . The yield of LGL per liver following BRM treatment corresponded to a 10-50-fold increase as compared to normal mice . LGL were purified from these enzymatically digested suspensions of perfused liver by depletion of adherent cells on nylon wool columns and subsequent enrichment for low-density lymphoid cells by fractionation on Percoll density gradients . The enrichment of LGL correlated with greatly increased NK activity against YAC-1 . Conversely, the higher-density fractions were depleted of both LGL and NK activity . This increase in NK activity in the liver was suppressed by in vivo treatment with anti-asialo GM1 (asGM1) serum . This treatment also resulted in a corresponding reduction in both the total number and percentage of LGL . By flow cytometry analysis, the phenotype of the majority of these highly cytolytic LGL isolated from the livers of BRM-treated mice were asGM1+, Thy-1+, Ly-5+, Qa-5+, Mac-1+, and Gma-1+, whereas these LGL were Ly-1-, Lyt-2-, L3T4-, and surface Ig- . We conclude that the livers of BRM-treated mice can provide a rich source of highly active mouse LGL that could be used for further characterization of this lymphocyte subset . Further, these studies imply a potential for BRM therapy of neoplastic or viral diseases through augmentation of organ-associated immune responses.

Cancer Res, 1984 Nov, 44(11), 5118 - 23
Role of inflammatory neutrophils in antitumor effects induced by intraperitoneal administration of Corynebacterium parvum in mice; Lichtenstein AK et al.; We studied the role of inflammatory neutrophils in the antitumor effects that follow i.p . injection of Corynebacterium parvum (1400 micrograms) into C3HeB/FeJ mice challenged with the murine ovarian teratocarcinoma . Peritoneal neutrophils, obtained from mice 6 hr after injection of C . parvum, exerted significant antitumor effects when injected admixed with murine ovarian terato-carcinoma cells into the peritoneal cavities of normal mice . Treatment of recipient mice with whole-body irradiation or repeated injections of silica prevented the antitumor effects, indicating that neutrophils were activating a second effector mechanism in recipient mice . Peritoneal cells obtained at 24 or 72 hr or at 7 or 11 days following C . parvum injection were considerably less effective in activation of this effector mechanism . Heat-killed C . parvum (6 hr)-induced neutrophils activated antitumor responses, but thioglycolate-induced cells were without effect . Antitumor responses in mice receiving peritoneal neutrophils were not due to simple transfer of C . parvum organisms in the inocula . These results indicate that inflammatory neutrophils, elicited into the peritoneal cavity by injection of C . parvum, play an important role in the activation of subsequent antitumor effects.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Nov, (11), 44 - 50
{Comparison of the physicochemical structure of DNA in Corynebacterium related to C . diphtheriae v . mitis, intermedius and gravis}; Krylova MD et al.; The hybridization of DNA of 19 C . diphtheriae v . mitis strains with DNA of 3H-labeled C . diphtheriae v . mitis strain C7(beta) tox+ resulted in revealing four homology levels: I (102-98%), II (78-68%), III (61-50%) and IV (42-25%) . Homology levels I and II differed from one another on the level of species . In the hybridization of DNA of the same strains with DNA of 3H-labeled C . diphtheriae v . gravis (group II) strain 165(1) tox+ three homology levels were revealed; levels I and II differed from one another on the level of the genus . In the first and second series of the experiments the distribution of DNA of the above strains on these levels not always coincided . The genomes of C . diphtheriae v . mitis strains 7111 tox+ and 132 tox+ were shown to differ from those of both reference strains on the level of the genus . In strains C7(beta) tox+ and PW-8 tox+ Massachusetts the genetic similarity of their genomes on the level of species was disclosed . Among C . diphtheriae v . mitis and intermedius strains at least 5 homology levels were revealed; this fact suggests the presence of at least 5 bacterial species among them . The relationship of strains on the level of species within groups I and II of C . diphtheriae v . gravis was confirmed: DNA of the related strains belonging to the corresponding group were always to be found within the same homology level . Also confirmed was the fact that the strains of groups I and II, as well as strain C7(beta) tox+, differed on the level of species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Infect Immun, 1984 Nov, 46(2), 531 - 6
The gene for type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) is located in bacteriophage T12; Weeks CR et al.; The infection of Streptococcus pyogenes T25(3) with the temperate bacteriophage T12 results in the conversion of the nontoxigenic strain to type A streptococcal exotoxin (erythrogenic toxin) production . Although previous research has established that integration of the bacteriophage genome into the host chromosome is not essential for exotoxin production, the location of the gene on the bacteriophage or bacterial chromosome had not been determined . In the present investigation, recombinant DNA techniques were used to determine whether the gene specifying type A streptococcal exotoxin (speA) production is located on the bacteriophage chromosome . Bacteriophage T12 was obtained from S . pyogenes T25(3)(T12) by induction with mitomycin C, and after isolation of bacteriophage DNA by phenol-chloroform extraction, the DNA was digested with restriction enzymes and ligated with Escherichia coli plasmid pHP34 or the Streptococcus-E . coli shuttle vector pSA3 . Transformation of E . coli HB101 with the recombinant molecules allowed selection of E . coli clones containing bacteriophage T12 genes . Immunological assays with specific antibody revealed the presence of type A streptococcal exotoxin in sonicates of E . coli transformants . Subcloning experiments localized the speA gene to a 1.7-kilobase segment of the bacteriophage T12 genome flanked by SalI and HindIII sites . Introduction of the pSA3 vector containing the speA gene into Streptococcus sanguis (Challis) resulted in transformants that secreted the type A exotoxin . Immunological analysis showed that the type A streptococcal exotoxin produced by E . coli and S . sanguis transformants was identical to the type A exotoxin produced by S . pyogenes T25(3)(T12) . Southern blot hybridizations with the cloned fragment confirmed its presence in the bacteriophage T12 genome and its absence in the T25(3) nonlysogen . Therefore, the gene for type A streptococcal exotoxin is located in the bacteriophage genome, and conversion of S . pyogenes T25(3) to toxigenicity occurs in a manner similar to the conversion of Corynebacterium diphtheriae to toxigenicity by bacteriophage beta.

Clin Orthop, 1984 Nov, (190), 96 - 108
Antibiotic-loaded acrylic cement: current concepts; Buchholz HW et al.; Antibiotic-loaded acrylic cement has been used routinely since 1972 at the authors' hospitals, where a series of some 22,000 joint arthroplasty operations was performed from 1964-1983 . The current status of the material is presented with up-to-date follow-up statistics on prophylactic therapy and on established deep infections . The results of 869 exchange arthroplasties are compared with results published in 1981 . In the future, results will be presented in the form of survival curves . The method by which survival tables and curves are constructed is critical . Investigators should use survival curves for ease of comparison and because of the wide range of possibilities in an analysis of covariable factors . A retrospective actuarial analysis was made of 825 one-stage reimplantations in which antibiotic-loaded acrylic cement was used for infected total hip arthroplasties . Staphylococcus aureus was the most commonly encountered organism . Failure rates of prostheses infected by S . aureus, S . species, and anaerobic corynebacteria did not differ statistically . A factor that significantly contributed to failure of this method of treatment was Pseudomonas infection . By actuarial analysis five years after operation, a success (survival) rate of 77% was calculated.

J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 1984 Nov, 3(5), 683 - 6
Normal cultivable microflora in upper jejunal fluid in children without gastrointestinal disorders; Justesen T et al.; Bacteriological studies of uncontaminated upper jejunal fluid were performed in 51 Danish children without gastrointestinal disorders . Thirty-seven percent of the samples were sterile {less than 10(1) colony-forming units (CFU)/ml} . In 25% of the cases, the total number of microorganisms exceeded 10(5) CFU/ml . The microorganisms isolated most frequently were: Streptococcus, sp . ("Viridans group"), Veillonella parvula, Hemophilus parainfluenzae, Lactobacillus, sp., Corynebacterium, sp., Actinomyces, sp., Bacteroides, sp., and Hemophilus influenzae, each found in more than 10% of the children . The upper range for the number of microorganisms isolated exceeded 10(5) CFU/ml for most of the species isolated of which the vast majority belonged to an "oral type" of flora . Enterococci were isolated in small numbers in three children, and Enterobacteriaceae were not found.

J Wildl Dis, 1984 Oct, 20(4), 319 - 27
Pathologic changes and microorganisms found in bighorn sheep during a stress-related die-off; Spraker TR et al.; An all-age die-off of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis c . canadensis Shaw) occurred from late October 1980 through March 1981 in Waterton Canyon, Colorado, with a loss of 75 to 85% of the sheep . The cause of death was a subacute to chronic bronchopneumonia and the primary etiologic agents isolated from the respiratory system were a Pasteurella sp., P . multocida, Corynebacterium pyogenes, and Protostrongylus stilesi Dikmans, 1931 . The underlying predisposing factors that initiated this die-off were believed to be related to multiple chronic environmental stressors associated with the building of a dam which included human contact, vehicular traffic, atmospheric dust, noise and harassment . The die-off was succeeded by a 100% lamb mortality the following summer and a 67% lamb mortality the next two summers . The pneumonia found in these lambs was similar to that found in adult sheep during the previous die-off, except that mature lungworms were absent.

Lab Anim Sci, 1984 Oct, 34(5), 480 - 3
Bacterial and mycoplasmal flora of the middle ear of laboratory rats with otitis media; Eamens GJ; Purulent otitis media was confirmed at necropsy in 35 laboratory rats, 14 of which had shown clinical signs of middle ear infection . The bacterial flora of both the affected and grossly normal middle ears was similar, often mixed, and comprised mainly of Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Pasteurella pneumotropica and Corynebacterium spp . Twenty-one isolates of Mycoplasma spp . were recovered from the middle ears of 11 rats with purulent otitis media and one normal rat . Fourteen of the isolates were further identified as either Mycoplasma arthriditis (eight isolates) or Mycoplasma pulmonis (six isolates) . In ears affected with otitis media, mycoplasmas were isolated significantly more often from subclinical than from clinical cases, while Pasteurella pneumotropica was isolated significantly more often from clinical than subclinical cases.

Immunobiology, 1984 Oct, 167(4), 359 - 64
Relationship between natural killer (NK) cells and interferon (IFN) alpha-producing cells in human peripheral blood . Studies with a monoclonal antibody with specificity for human natural killer cells; Abb J et al.; The relationship between NK active and IFN alpha-producing cells in human peripheral blood was studied with a monoclonal antibody with specificity for NK cells (anti-Leu11b) . Removal of Leu11b antigen expressing leukocytes with antibody-mediated complement-dependent lysis resulted in a marked reduction of NK activity . In contrast, the depletion of Leu11b positive cells did not affect the production of IFN alpha in response to influenza A/X31 virus, Corynebacterium parvum, or Molt 4 human leukemic cells . The results indicate that NK activity and synthesis of IFN alpha are mediated by different leukocyte subpopulations . The findings further suggest that the augmentation of the cytotoxic activity of NK cells by IFN may not be the consequence of positive self-regulation, but rather of cellular cooperation.

Mod Vet Pract, 1984 Oct, 65(10), 787 - 90
Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals; Genetzky RM et al.; Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi pneumonia is diagnosed by thoracic auscultation, radiographic and hematologic examination, and transtracheal aspiration . Treatment may be unsuccessful because of the organism's tendency to cause pulmonary abscesses . A 2-month-old, depressed, anorectic, febrile Quarter Horse colt, previously unresponsive to penicillin therapy, had loud, moist breath sounds in the ventral lung fields . Chest radiographs revealed pneumonia . Based on culture and sensitivity tests on organisms isolated from transtracheal washes, chloramphenicol and erythromycin, and then oral trimethoprim-sulfadiazine, were given, in addition to supportive therapy . The animal was fully recovered within 2 months.

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Oct, 93(2), 381 - 8
The carriage of Corynebacterium suis in male pigs; Jones JE et al.; This investigation was designed to determine the prevalence of Corynebacterium suis in the preputial diverticulum of pigs of various age groups, located in different parts of the U.K., and to demonstrate whether the organism is transmissible between male pigs . C . suis was isolated from almost 90% of 224 adult males, distributed among 25 pig units in widely separated regions of the country and in 96% of 66 pigs aged 5-6 months originating from six different herds in East Anglia . The rate of isolation of C . suis from younger pigs depended, at least in part, on the system of husbandry practised . Thus, in one herd, A, in which young pigs were maintained in comparative isolation, none of 26 pigs aged 5-8 weeks harboured C . suis; however, in the same herd, the organism was isolated from 77% of 64 pigs aged 9-15 weeks which were in close contact with male pigs aged up to 6 months . In another herd, B, in which individual litters were housed in the same pen from birth to 5 months of age, C . suis was isolated once from only one of 36 pigs in the age range 5-17 weeks, sampled on two occasions, with an interval of 5 weeks between each sampling.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cornell Vet, 1984 Oct, 74(4), 331 - 43
Endometritis in the mare caused by a Coryneform organism--a case report and experimental studies; Blue MG et al.; Persistent purulent endometritis in a mare was attributed to an unclassified species of Corynebacterium . Following intrauterine infusions of 20% betadine for 5 days the purulent vulval discharge ceased and the mare appeared clinically normal . Based on histological examination of endometrial biopsy samples, the severe acute inflammatory reaction had largely resolved 2 days after therapy . Three maiden mares considered resistant to bacterial endometritis received single intrauterine inoculations of 1.8 X 10(9) colony-forming units of the Corynebacterium species . The uterine response was followed by vaginal speculum examinations, uterine cultures and cytology, and endometrial histology . After an acute inflammatory reaction, each mare had recovered completely within 2 weeks . Most rapid recovery occurred in the mare in estrus at the time of inoculation . Subsequent secondary infections were detected in two mares . The uncertainty of correlations between results obtained by various diagnostic techniques emphasized the problems associated with each . This report illustrates the concept that endometritis in individual mares may relate more to as yet unidentified "mare factors" controlling uterine defense than to primary invasion by bacteria.

Acta Leprol, 1984 Oct-Dec, 2(2-4), 351 - 8
Occurrence of antigen BCG 60 in leprosy derived corynebacteria and other coryneforms; Papa FP et al.; Previous studies have shown that anti BCG 60 monoclonal antibody could recognize major antigen A 7 of M . leprae . In the present investigation we attempted to search the presence of the same antigen from the strains of Leprosy Derived Corynebacteria (LDC+), which were isolated from leprosy lesions and were supposed to be the cultivable form of the leprosy bacillus . A comparative study was equally performed on 7 strains of Corynebacteria which were isolated in France and had no relation with leprosy patients (LDC-) . Utilizing the ELISA technique with an anti BCG 60 monoclonal antibody, it was found that all the three LDC+ strains contained an antigenic determinant common to M . leprae, however no LDC+ specificity was found as this antigenic determinant was also revealed on two LDC- strains.

Acta Leprol, 1984 Oct-Dec, 2(2-4), 237 - 48
Freeze-etching and freeze-fracture structural features of cell envelopes in mycobacteria and leprosy derived corynebacteria; Benedetti EL et al.; The structural properties of the cell wall and cell membrane of several mycobacteria and of Leprosy Derived Corynebacteria are investigated by freeze-etching and freeze-fracture . In all cases the freeze-fracture split the cell wall in two asymmetric halves . The cell wall fracture faces of the mycobacteria are characterized by a filamentous network which vary with respect to the amount and complexity among microorganism of the same species and even more of different species . In LDC the structure organization of the cell wall and cell membrane differs from that of mycobacteria . The most stricking difference is the presence on the fracture faces of the LDC cell wall of different classes of particulated entities of yet unknown nature . In the mycobacteria and LDC the periseptal annuli likely provide a potential frame for cell envelope and cell membrane assembly.

Acta Leprol, 1984 Oct-Dec, 2(2-4), 153 - 74
Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium and Lepra bacilli; Barksdale L et al.; Evidence is presented which suggests that certain key markers of lepra bacilli reside collectively in Proprionibacterium acnes, Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum and Mycobacterium leprae . The unrestricted replication of Mycobacterium leprae depends most probably upon the presence of an immune-deficiency-inducing viral agent or possibly on the combined effects of the organisms considered.

Can J Comp Med, 1984 Oct, 48(4), 370 - 3
Antibody to equi factor(s) in the diagnosis of Corynebacterium equi pneumonia of foals; Prescott JF et al.; Antibody to equi factor(s) in cases of Corynebacterium equi pneumonia in foals was detected using C . pseudotuberculosis exotoxin sensitized calf red blood cells . The test was standardized using antitoxin produced in rabbits by injection of equi factor(s) . All sera from ten foals with culture-diagnosed C . equi pneumonia had antibodies to equi factor(s) (titre range 8-256, mean 74.0) and nine sera from 11 foals with suspected C . equi pneumonia also showed antibodies (titre range 4-512, mean 136.4) . Two of five pneumonia foals with transtracheal aspirate cultures not yielding C . equi had such antibodies . Fifty-eight of 59 control horse sera had no antibodies; the one positive serum came from a foal on a farm where C . equi pneumonia was endemic . By contrast only five of 15 foals with experimentally-induced C . equi pneumonia had antibodies to equi factor(s), probably because the acute nature of the disease produced did not mimic the chronic course of the natural disease . Antibody to equi factor(s) can be used in the diagnosis of naturally-occurring corynebacterial pneumonia in foals.

Int J Cancer, 1984 Sep 15, 34(3), 415 - 20
Treatment of intravenously implanted Lewis lung carcinoma with liposome-encapsulated cytosine arabinoside and non-specific immunotherapy; Patel KR et al.; Liposomes have been used as biological carriers of antitumor drugs, and their potential use has been tested using various mouse tumors . In this study, we describe a potential role of liposome-encapsulated 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) with a mouse solid lung tumor model . Non-encapsulated Ara-C at 25 mg/kg dose by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route on days 1, 4 and 7 had no improving effect on the average survival time of tumor-bearing mice compared to untreated control mice . However, the same dose of Ara-C encapsulated in multilamellar liposomes (MLV) improved the average survival of tumor-bearing mice by 60 to 80% . Ara-C was encapsulated more efficiently when DSPC or DPPC MLV were prepared at temperatures below their respective transition temperatures . DSPC and DPPC MLV prepared at 25 degrees C and DPPC MLV prepared at 50 degrees C were equally effective for in vivo therapy, while DSPC MLV prepared at 60 degrees C were not as effective . Non-specific immunotherapy using BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and CP Corynebacterium parvum) was effective, particularly when injected by the intravenous (i.v.) route, in prolonging the average survival of tumor-bearing mice . A combination of either i.v . BCG or i.p . CP with liposome therapy gave no further improvement in the average survival of tumor-bearing mice . However, a combination of either i.p . BCG or i.v . CP with liposome therapy was somewhat more effective than either liposome therapy or immunotherapy alone.

Vet Med (Praha), 1984 Sep, 29(9), 563 - 8
{Findings of Corynebacterium equi Magnusson 1923 in connection with foal mortality in the Eastern Bohemia Region}; Vyslouzil L et al.; A case history of mass foal disease which affected ten of the total stock of 50 foals and killed eight is described . The disease was characterized by respiratory disorders and extensive pneumonias with abscess formation, metastatic abscesses in mesenterial lymph nodes and in other organs . As a result of the examination of two dead foals and three nasal smears from diseased animals, gram-positive bacteria were isolated from the lungs, pulmonary and abdominal abscesses and the nasal smears of the affected foals; with their cultivation, morphological and biochemical characteristics these bacteria correspond to the species Corynebacterium equi . The properties of the four isolated strains were compared with the most important literary data.

J Immunol, 1984 Sep, 133(3), 1179 - 84
A comparison of the stimulatory activities of lymphoid dendritic cells and macrophages in T proliferative responses to various antigens; Guidos C et al.; The identities of murine accessory cells and the mechanism by which they process antigen and stimulate T cell proliferation have been examined with cell separation techniques and specific agents to block antigen catabolism . Using preparations of splenic dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages (M phi) with minimal cross-contamination, we found that only DC could induce syngeneic mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR), whereas both DC and M phi could initiate allogeneic MLR . This observation may have significant implications for syngeneic MLR as a manifestation of self Ia recognition, and for the cell type that defines self Ia during ontogeny . DC and M phi could present soluble antigens such as purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) and Salmonella flagellin about equally well to antigen-specific T cell lines . M phi, however, were much more effective than the non-phagocytic DC at inducing T cell proliferation to whole Corynebacterium parvum organisms . These differences could not be attributed to differences in antigen uptake . The results suggest that the bacteria must be ingested and processed by phagocytes before T cell activation . Using the lysosomotropic agent chloroquine to inhibit antigen catabolism in accessory cells, we found that the presentation of large antigens by M phi and DC was abolished by chloroquine treatment, whereas T cell activation by antigens (such as PPD or integral membrane Ia for MLR) that apparently required no processing was relatively insensitive to chloroquine . Thus, in addition to differences between cells, discrete functions within each cell type can also be distinguished.

Klin Wochenschr, 1984 Aug 16, 62(16), 793 - 4
Corynebacterium group JK peritonitis in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Altwegg M et al.; Corynebacterium group JK is described as the aetiologic agent of a second episode of peritonitis which occurred after a period of antibiotic treatment for likely endogenous peritonitis . Inclusion of vancomycin is suggested for treatment of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) peritonitis in patients colonized by these multiresistant bacteria.

Vet Parasitol, 1984 Aug, 15(2), 165 - 8
The protective effect of pretreatment with killed Corynebacterium parvum against acute babesiosis in calves; Corrier DE et al.; Yearling calves were pre-treated intravenously (IV) with a 0.20 mg kg-1 dose of Corynebacterium parvum and challenged after 30 days by IV inoculation of 3 X 10(9) Babesia bigemina . The relatively low 0.20 mg kg-1 dose of C . parvum enhanced resistance as indicated by lower mean Babesia parasitemias and less severe decreases in packed-cell volumes than in non-treated calves, but failed to stimulate a significant (P less than or equal to 0.05) level of protection against B . bigemina challenge.

J Biol Response Mod, 1984 Aug, 3(4), 371 - 8
Activation of peritoneal lymphocyte cytotoxicity in patients with ovarian cancer by intraperitoneal treatment with Corynebacterium parvum; Lichtenstein A et al.; Following an intensive course of combination chemotherapy, patients with minimal residual ovarian cancer were treated with increasing concentrations of intraperitoneal Corynebacterium parvum to assess whether or not natural killer (NK) cells could be activated . Immunotherapy was administered every 2 weeks, initially with a dose of 250 micrograms/m2, which was progressively escalated as tolerated . Each treatment induced a peritoneal cellular exudate which consisted primarily of neutrophils 48h after injection and of lymphocytes and macrophages at 7 and 14 days after injection . Peritoneal NK cytotoxicity increased during treatment in six of nine patients tested . NK precursor cells susceptible to in vitro activation with either C . parvum or interferon became detectable during treatment in all five patients tested . In four of these five, precursors were detected prior to the development of enhanced spontaneous NK activity . In four patients serially studied, peripheral blood NK activity increased during therapy . These results indicate that regional intraperitoneal therapy with C . parvum can enhance nonspecific antitumor cytotoxic mechanisms within the peritoneal cavity.

Can J Microbiol, 1984 Aug, 30(8), 1052 - 7
Relationship between group JK corynebacteria and the biotypes of Corynebacterium genitalium and Corynebacterium pseudogenitalium; Evangelista AT et al.; Twenty-six strains of group JK corynebacteria had the same colonial morphology and biological reactions as the biotypes of the biovars of Corynebacterium genitalium and C . pseudogenitalium . Therefore, group JK corynebacteria can be assigned to the biovars of C . genitalium or C . pseudogenitalium . Although the strains differed in sensitivity to 16 antibiotics tested by Sensi-Discs or by the Micro-Media technique, they are uniformly sensitive to 4-5 micrograms/mL of vancomycin . Medium containing 10 micrograms vancomycin/mL was bactericidal and the killing time was dependent on the concentration . The rate of mutation to resistance to 10 micrograms vancomycin was greater than 1 in 10(10) corynebacteria . Therefore, vancomycin sensitivity is a stable characteristic of these corynebacteria which also indicates that group JK corynebacteria are strains of either C . genitalium or C . pseudogenitalium . Since group JK corynebacteria are considered pathogens, this finding supports the belief that C . genitalium is a pathogen and suggests that some biotypes of the commensal C . pseudogenitalium may infect compromised hosts.

J Dairy Sci, 1984 Aug, 67(8), 1850 - 9
Efficacy of an iodine backflush for preventing new intramammary infections; Hogan JS et al.; Efficacy of an iodine backflush system for reducing new intramammary infection was tested in two 11-wk trials . Forty cows in each trial were paired by breed, age, stage of lactation, and intramammary infection status . Each pair was assigned randomly either to a group milked with clusters that were reverse flushed with water, 25 ppm iodine, water and air or to a group milked with clusters receiving no backflush treatment between cows . Backflushing clusters reduced infections caused by Corynebacterium bovis and coagulase-positive staphylococci in both trials . However, backflushing clusters produced no clear advantage for reducing new infections with coagulase-negative staphylococci, Gram-negative bacilli, or streptococci (species other than Streptococcus agalactiae) . No differences in somatic cell counts between experimental groups were observed . Teat cup liners and teat ends were swabbed after 120 and 1200 milkings/liner . Total microbial counts were significantly greater for liners that were not backflushed than from backflushed liners at each swabbing . However, no differences were significant between groups for mean teat end microbial counts in either trial.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Aug, 45(8), 1532 - 4
Experimental Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in lambs; Brogden KA et al.; Lambs were inoculated IV with 3.2 X 10(3) colony forming units (CFU) to 3.2 X 10(6) CFU of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis from a 6-hour broth culture supplemented with 0.1% sorbitan monooleate . After 28 days, multiple abscesses were observed in the lungs and lymph nodes . The number of abscesses in the lungs correlated with the inoculation dose . Two lambs given 10(5) CFU and 10(6) CFU died . Multiple abscesses occurred in other lambs given 10(6) CFU to 10(4) CFU and few abscesses occurred in lambs given 10(3) CFU . Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was isolated from lung abscesses, inoculation site abscesses, and lymph node abscesses, but not from normal tissues . Because this procedure consistently induced abscesses in the lungs, we believe it will be a suitable challenge system for studies on the prevention of caseous lymphadenitis in sheep.

J Dairy Res, 1984 Aug, 51(3), 371 - 8
Observations on Corynebacterium bovis infection of the bovine mammary gland . I . Natural infection; Honkanen-Buzalski T et al.; Data from experiments in 55 commercial herds have been examined to study the patterns of Corynebacterium bovis infection . Such infections are most common in herds that are not subjected to regular control methods but their commercial significance appears to be small . In herds using teat disinfection and dry cow therapy levels of infection with this organism are low . There is no evidence from these data to suggest that C . bovis infections protect the udder against invasion by a major pathogen . On the contrary these infections do not persist when major pathogens invade.

Br J Exp Pathol, 1984 Aug, 65(4), 441 - 51
Effects of soluble mediators generated during growth of the Landschütz ascites carcinoma on the chemotaxis of normal and Corynebacterium parvum-stimulated peritoneal leucocytes; McIntosh LC et al.; The influence of ascites fluid on the chemokinetic and chemotactic responses of mouse peritoneal leucocytes was investigated using modified Boyden chambers and the 'leading front' technique . The migration of normal cells towards endotoxin-activated mouse serum was significantly enhanced at high concentrations of fluid (40 and 20%) but was inhibited at lower concentrations (5 and 1%) . By comparison, the chemotactic responsiveness of cells harvested 3 days after Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) injection was uniformly and more markedly increased over a wide range of fluid concentrations (0.1-50%) . These effects were attributed to the presence of strong chemokinetic and chemotactic material in ascites fluid, which was not inactivated by heating . The activity was also demonstrated in the serum of tumour-bearing animals, was present to a much lesser extent in inflammatory exudate fluid and was absent from normal mouse serum . Detailed morphological studies of migrating cells revealed that although the ascites fluid contained a potent chemo-attractant for neutrophils, it inhibited the migration of mononuclear cells.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Aug, 45(8), 1648 - 9
Bacteria isolated from lymph nodes of California slaughter swine; Morse JW et al.; Lymph nodes from 280 slaughter swine from 9 California ranches were examined for the presence of aerobic microflora . Genera of interest which were isolated (and percentage of animals from which they were isolated) included Salmonella (4.3%), beta-hemolytic streptococci (8.2%), Mycobacterium avium-complex (6.4%), Corynebacterium pyogenes (0.4%), and Aeromonas hydrophila (5.7%) . Patterns of bacterial isolations from swine herds may be of assistance in predicting herd health problems.

J Dairy Res, 1984 Aug, 51(3), 379 - 85
Observations on Corynebacterium bovis infection of the bovine mammary gland . II . Experimental infection; Honkanen-Buzalski T et al.; Experiments are described in which lactating cows were exposed to Corynebacterium bovis either by dipping the teats in a suspension of the bacteria or by inoculating the bacteria into the teat duct or the teat sinus . All three methods readily led to 'infection' being established . The effect of these infections on somatic cell count was minor and no clinical mastitis resulted during the course of the experiments although some cases occurred subsequently . There was evidence that 44% of these infections were confined to the teat duct . Quarters excreting C . bovis in milk continued to do so during endotoxin-induced inflammation and showed a similar cellular response to that of uninfected quarters.

Surgery, 1984 Aug, 96(2), 308 - 14
Immunomodulators in the treatment of peritonitis in burned and malnourished animals; Waymack JP et al.; Deficiencies in the immune system that lead to increased morbidity and mortality from infectious complications have been well documented in patients suffering from trauma, malnutrition, sepsis, and thermal injuries . We investigated the potential benefit of immune stimulation for preventing infection in such conditions in an animal model by evaluating three drugs: Corynebacterium parvum, thymopentin (TP-5), and CP-46,665 . One-hundred eighty female guinea pigs were rendered immunodeficient by first inflicting a 30% total body surface burn and then placing the animals on diets with calories inadequate to maintain body weight . One half of the animals were then given one of the three immunomodulators on the first, third, and fifth days after burn injury, to try to reverse immunodeficiency . The remaining animals received saline solution injections . Animal responses were evaluated by inserting a clot containing Escherichia coli and Bacillus fragilis into their peritoneal cavity 6 days after burn injury . The animals were followed for 21 days after burn injury . Autopsies on those that died revealed peritonitis and/or pneumonia; autopsies on these that survived showed no pneumonia and there was consistent resolution of peritonitis . TP-5 and CP-46,665, but not C . parvum, significantly improved survival rates and mean survival time in those animals receiving 100 kcal/kg/day . TP-5 and CP-46,665 may be of benefit to the severely stressed, malnourished surgical patient who is at risk of bacterial infection.

Infect Immun, 1984 Aug, 45(2), 511 - 7
Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis responses to DNA probes derived from corynephage beta and Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Groman N et al.; Strains of Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (Corynebacterium ovis) were examined for the production of diphtheria toxin . A majority of C . ulcerans strains (25 of 37) and 1 C . pseudotuberculosis strain (1 of 14) gave a positive Elek test for diphtheria toxin, and for all strains but 1, production of diphtheria toxin was inhibited at the same level of Fe2+ as was the Corynebacterium diphtheriae control . All Elek-positive cultures as well as two Elek-negative isolates of C . ulcerans gave a positive signal when hybridized with a DNA probe unambiguous for the diphtheria toxin gene (tox) under conditions of high stringency . The majority of probe-positive C . ulcerans strains contained three or more DNA restriction fragments that hybridized with converting corynephage beta, suggesting that in C . ulcerans as in C . diphtheriae there may be a relationship between toxinogeny and carriage of beta-related phage . Selected strains of C . diphtheriae, C . ulcerans, and C . pseudotuberculosis were examined for DNA homology by a semiquantitative technique . There was very little homology between C . diphtheriae and members of the other two species . Strains of C . ulcerans and C . pseudotuberculosis, although more closely related, appeared to belong to distinct species as well.

J Clin Pathol, 1984 Jul, 37(7), 796 - 9
Detection of toxin production by Corynebacterium diphtheriae: results of a trial organised as part of the United Kingdom National External Microbiological Quality Assessment Scheme; Snell JJ et al.; Four strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae were sent to UK participants in the UK National External Microbiological Quality Assessment Scheme, who were asked to examine the strains for toxin production by in vitro methods . Laboratories achieved 162/176 (92%) and 160/175 (91%) correct results with two rapid toxin producers and 145/175 (82%) with a slow toxin producer . With a non-toxigenic strain 26/175 (15%) laboratories reported toxin production . Of the 173 laboratories reporting on all four strains, only 120 (69%) achieved the correct result for all . There was no significant association between the use of various methods and results, with the exception that laboratories using a full set of positive, weak positive, and negative controls made fewer errors than those not using controls . A number of unsatisfactory practices were revealed by the trial, however, and recommendations on preparation of inoculum, media, peptones, animal sera, and use of controls are made.

Infect Immun, 1984 Jul, 45(1), 143 - 9
Genetic and biochemical evidence for a siderophore-dependent iron transport system in Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Russell LM et al.; During growth under conditions of iron deprivation, Corynebacterium diphtheriae secreted a siderophore into the culture medium . This extracellular siderophore was necessary for rates of iron uptake at pH 8.0 by C . diphtheriae C7 and related strains . We isolated a mutant of C . diphtheriae C7(beta), strain HC6, which did not make the corynebacterial siderophore . Strain HC6 grew very poorly, even under high-iron conditions, and had a severe defect in iron transport . Both growth and iron uptake by strain HC6 were greatly stimulated by the corynebacterial siderophore . We used strain HC6 to develop a bioassay for the corynebacterial siderophore and to look for other potential siderophores for C . diphtheriae . Among the purified phenolate and hydroxamate siderophores tested, only aerobactin was able to stimulate the growth of strain HC6 . Partial purification of the corynebacterial siderophore was achieved . The siderophore did not give positive reactions in the Arnow test for phenolates or the Csaky test for hydroxamates and may have a novel chemical structure.

J Gen Microbiol, 1984 Jul, 130 ( Pt 7), 1863 - 70
Thymidine kinase of bacteria: activity of the enzyme in actinomycetes and related organisms; Saito H et al.; Various micro-organisms were studied for their thymidine kinase (adenosine 5'-triphosphate:thymidine 5'-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.21) (TK) activity . The sonicated cell extract of Escherichia coli K12 had a TK activity of 35-66 pmol thymidine monophosphate formed min-1 (mg protein)-1 . The cell extracts of Salmonella typhimurium and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed a markedly higher (5- to 11-fold) TK activity . Somewhat lower but significant TK activity was detected in the cell extracts of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis and Proteus mirabilis . In contrast, weak TK activity, if any, was detected in the cell extracts of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . This was also the case with respect to the cell extracts of various actinomycetes (such as Nocardia and Streptomyces) and related organisms (such as Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium and Rhodococcus).

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1984 Jul, 81(14), 4505 - 9
Identification and characterization of a monoclonal antibody to an antigen expressed on activated macrophages; Koestler TP et al.; A hybridoma clone secreting a monoclonal antibody, designated MA158.2, that reacts with an antigen expressed on lymphokine-treated macrophages was produced by fusion of mouse myeloma cells with rat spleen cells immunized against C57BL/6 peritoneal macrophages rendered tumoricidal in vitro by incubation with the lymphokine macrophage-activating factor . The specificity of the antibody for activated macrophages and lack of reactivity with histologically diverse cell types was determined by radioimmune indirect binding and flow cytometry . MA158.2 antibody binds to mouse peritoneal macrophages elicited by nonspecific inflammatory agents and to tumoricidal macrophages elicited with Corynebacterium parvum . Resident peritoneal, splenic, and alveolar macrophages were only weakly positive . Several macrophage cell lines (P388D1, WEH1-231, J774, RAW 264.7), murine fibroblasts, and neutrophils did not bind detectable amounts of MA158.2 . Radioimmune indirect binding analysis demonstrated that cell suspensions prepared from C57BL/6 mouse spleen, thymus, and lymph node as well as polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, and T- and B-cell murine lymphomas were MA158.2 negative . Expression of the reactive antigen on the macrophage cell surface was enhanced 3-fold following in vitro activation of elicited macrophages with macrophage-activating factor and the kinetics of activation to the tumoricidal state paralleled the increased expression of the antigen recognized by MA158.2 . MA158.2 is a rat IgG2a antibody containing a single specific heavy and light chain that does not detect a polymorphic determinant . This monoclonal antibody will be a useful tool for monitoring the efficacy of agents in activating murine macrophages to the tumoricidal state and in analyzing the sequence of biochemical events that culminate in macrophage activation.

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho, 1984 Jul, 11(7), 1369 - 78
{Induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in tumor-bearing mice}; Tamura K et al.; Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) can be induced in BALB/c mice bearing syngeneic tumor RL male 1 lymphoma or Meth A fibrosarcoma, by initial injection of either Corynebacterium parvum or BCG, in combination with a second injection of endotoxin (LPS) almost 10 days later . Either treatment resulted in hemorrhagic necrosis and complete regression of tumors in mice . The term, "endogenous induction of TNF therapy" was proposed for this trial . Although the TNF of tumor-bearing mice was identical to that of normal mice in molecular weight (about 40,000 daltons) and isoelectric point (4.4), and differed from IFN, the in vivo effect of endogenous TNF was much more remarkable than in mice receiving passive TNF administration . The mice bearing RL male 1 lymphoma cured after endogenous induction of TNF, rejected rechallenge of the same tumor cells but not Meth-A tumor cells . Splenocytes obtained from these cured mice were also found to be inhibitory in Winn's neutralization assay . The data indicate that tumor-specific immunity can be induced in mice receiving endogenous induction of TNF.

J Immunol, 1984 Jul, 133(1), 519 - 26
Successful immunotherapy with intraperitoneal Corynebacterium parvum in a murine ovarian cancer model is associated with the recruitment of tumor-lytic neutrophils into the peritoneal cavity; Lichtenstein AK et al.; The rejection of a murine ovarian teratocarcinoma (MOT) after i.p . injection of Corynebacterium parvum was investigated . Treatment with C . parvum (1400 micrograms) 24 hr after i.p . inoculation of a lethal number of tumor cells (10(5} induced an antitumor effect that cured 75 to 95% of the mice . Morphologic analysis and an in vivo cytotoxicity assay that measured the rate of disappearance of radioactivity from the peritoneal cavity after injection of 125IUdR-labeled tumor cells indicated that the antitumor effect was initiated during the first 24 hr after C . parvum injection . During this period of time, host effector cells retrieved from the peritoneal cavity prevented tumor growth in a Winn assay and lysed radiolabeled MOT targets in a 4-hr Cr-release assay . After separation of peritoneal inflammatory cells on a Percoll gradient, neutrophil-enriched fractions demonstrated significant in vitro tumor lysis, but neutrophil-depleted populations were ineffective . Microscopic analysis of lysis at the single cell level confirmed that neutrophils were binding to and lysing MOT targets . Further characterization of these tumor cytolytic neutrophils revealed that they are nylon wool-adherent, not generated in indomethacin-pretreated mice (but effectively generated in whole body-irradiated mice), and achieve lysis within 30 min after binding to MOT targets . These results indicate that neutrophils must be considered potential antitumor effectors that can be recruited by treatment with biologic response modifiers.

Clin Exp Immunol, 1984 Jul, 57(1), 139 - 48
Paradoxical presence of T cell anergy during successful T cell-dependent tumour immunotherapy: characterization of a state of T cell 'amnaesia' following systemic administration of C . parvum; McBride WH et al.; Systemic administration of Corynebacterium parvum causes T cell-dependent regression of an established methylcholanthrene-induced murine fibrosarcoma beginning 10 days after Cp injection . At this time, tumour specific effector T cell responses measured by reactivity in a T helper cell assay or in a Winn assay disappear only to return later . We refer to this temporary lapse in T cell reactivity as immunological 'amnaesia' . Antigen specific T cell responses within all lymphoid organs appear to be affected . The 'amnaesic' state is characterised by the presence of primed T cells but the absence of T effector cells and suppressor cells . The differentiation of the primed T cells is blocked probably as a result on the non-delivery of a differentiation signal . There are several possible mechanisms which could account for this; the one we prefer is that cells are prevented from entering T cell-dependent cell interaction areas within lymphoid organs . This state of T cell 'amnaesia' may underlie anergy in some inflammatory, infectious and neoplastic diseases . The apparent paradox of T cell-dependent tumour regression occurring in mice with depressed T cell responses is discussed.

Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1984 Jul-Aug, 135B(1), 53 - 67
Glutamate excretion triggering mechanism: a reinvestigation of the surfactant-induced modification of cell lipids; Huchenq A et al.; Lipid alterations induced by surfactants to trigger glutamate excretion were investigated with an industrial strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum . The lipid composition of this strain was determined for cultures in a synthetic medium and in a complex medium . A distribution of complex lipids between the cell wall and the cell membrane is proposed . Depending on growth conditions, 70-85% of the cell fatty acids had saturated chains in cells grown with surfactants . In the synthetic medium up to 80% of the straight-chain fatty acids may have come from the acylated surfactant added to the induce excretion . In industrial fermentation, the maximal excretion rate corresponded to the highest saturated fatty acid content of cells . It was shown by radioactive labelling in the synthetic medium that the addition of the acylated surfactant induced the degradation of more than 50% of the phospholipids . Some phospholipid synthesis occurred at that time using the surfactant (saturated) fatty acids, but the membrane did nor recover its previous phospholipid content . A model is proposed to explain the mechanism of glutamate excretion triggering by surfactants.

Int J Cancer, 1984 Jun 15, 33(6), 845 - 50
Regulation of MOPC 104E by T cells and growth factors induced by C . parvum stimulation; Shrestha K et al.; Corynebacterium parvum, known for its ability to retard the growth of experimental neoplasms, was examined for its effect on the growth of murine plasmacytoma MOPC 104E in vivo and in vitro . Immunostimulation with C . parvum resulted in the accelerated growth of MOPC 104E in experimental animals, as measured by the tumor IgM production . The acceleration of plasmacytoma growth was seen in all cases where C . parvum was given before or at the time of tumor transplantation . Increased proliferation of MOPC 104E was also observed when MOPC 104E was co-cultured in the presence of spleen cells from C . parvum stimulated mice as compared to the normal spleen cells . Removal of T cells by in vivo anti-thymocyte serum treatment, followed by anti-Thy 1.2 and complement in vitro, resulted in the partial loss of stimulatory activity . Furthermore, the stimulatory activity was shown to be associated with soluble mediators, which were generated by splenic adherent cells and T cells, and were, at least in part, responsible for the growth of plasmacytoma . Normal spleen cells did not generate a significant amount of soluble factor, but were able to augment MOPC 104E growth in co-culture at high spleen to tumor cell ratio.

Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 1984 Jun 15, 109(24), 935 - 40
{Postoperative immunostimulation in non-small-cell bronchial carcinoma . Outcome and complications}; Toomes H; In two prospective, randomized clinical studies Corynebacterium parvum (C.p.), BCG or 0.9% saline solution were injected intrapleurally once between the 6th and 12th postoperative day in 878 patients with resected, non-oatcell bronchial carcinoma (stage I and II) . The rate of complications following C.p.-instillation (chest pain, fever) was relatively low compared to partially serious complications following injection of BCG, especially in patients who underwent pneumonectomy (21.8% empyema compared to 3.2% in the placebo group) . After an average follow-up of 4.6 years in the first study, 110 of 207 C.p.-treated patients (53%) were dead compared to 82 of 198 in the placebo group (41%) . The difference is statistically significant (P less than 0.02) . In the second study, 79 out of 197 BCG-treated patients (40%) were dead after an average follow-up of 2.8 years compared to 71 out of 208 placebo-treated patients (34%) . This difference is not statistically significant . From these data it is concluded that postoperative immunotherapy as performed in these studies is not only of no benefit to the patients, but might even be detrimental as a result of an increased posttherapeutic complication rate and a partially diminished expectation of life.

Eur J Biochem, 1984 Jun 15, 141(3), 497 - 504
Purification and characterization of thioredoxin from the N2-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica; Ip SM et al.; Thioredoxin has been purified to homogeneity from the cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica . The protein consists of a single polypeptide chain with a relative molecular mass of about 11 680 which has two cysteine residues (residues 31 and 34) in the sequence-Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys- and an isoelectric point at pH 4.55 . The N-terminal amino acid sequence of 39 residues shows distinct homologies with the sequences of Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium nephridii thioredoxins . Anti-(A . cylindrica thioredoxin) antiserum was used to quantify the thioredoxin which constituted about 0.22% of the soluble protein in cell-free extracts of N2-fixing, NO3- -grown or NH4+-grown A . cylindrica . Activation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase of A . cylindrica, activation of glutamine synthetase and NADP+-dependent malate dehydrogenase of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus but not of A . cylindrica, and deactivation of glucose-6-P dehydrogenase of the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis were all achieved using the same thioredoxin species . No other thioredoxin species were detected in extracts of A . cylindrica when examined for the activation of these enzymes.

J Dairy Sci, 1984 Jun, 67(6), 1354 - 8
Evaluation of linear dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid as a teat dip in a commercial dairy; Pankey JW et al.; A postmilking teat dip containing 1.94% linear dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid was evaluated for approximately 6 mo on a commercial dairy farm that milked an average of 75 cows . Sixteen Staphylococcus aureus infections were diagnosed, 12 in the undipped control quarters and 4 in the dipped . Incidence of intramammary infection with Staphylococcus aureus was reduced 68.1% . Seventy-five infections were diagnosed as micrococci, 42 in control and 33 in the dipped group, a 23.6% reduction . A total of 37 Corynebacterium sp . infections were diagnosed, 21 and 16 in control and dipped groups, a 25.8% reduction . Teat skin condition did not change during the study.

J Am Acad Dermatol, 1984 Jun, 10(6), 1005 - 14
Electron microscopy, histochemistry, and microbiology of bacterial adhesion in trichomycosis axillaris; Shelley WB et al.; Study of a case of trichomycosis axillaris by electron microscopy revealed a specific encapsulated Corynebacterium adhering to but not penetrating the hair shaft . External to this were two other biochemically distinctive pleomorphic Corynebacteria shown to be incapable of direct adherence to the hair . All three types were entrapped in a virtually insoluble cement substance, which they elaborate and which is responsible for the grossly visible colonization that is so characteristic of this disease.

Cancer Res, 1984 Jun, 44(6), 2341 - 7
Enhancement of thermal response of normal and malignant tissues by Corynebacterium parvum; Urano M et al.; Further studies were carried out on the combined effects of Corynebacterium parvum and hyperthermia on animal tissues and cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells . Experimental animals were C3Hf/Sed mice derived from our defined flora mouse colony . Tumors were eighth-generation isotransplants of a spontaneous fibrosarcoma, FSa-II . Hyperthermia was given by immersing the mouse foot or culture flasks in the constant temperature water bath . Present experiments include thermal enhancement of C . parvum at different temperatures, effect of the agent on the kinetics of thermal resistance, and the mechanism of the thermal enhancement . The thermal enhancement by C . parvum was independent of temperature in a range between 42.5 and 46.5 degrees, and it increased with decreasing temperature . The analysis of the Arrhenius plot suggested a comparable activation energy for combined treatments and for heat alone between 42.5 and 46.5 degrees . The thermal resistance developed very rapidly in both normal and tumor tissues . Systemic administration of C . parvum failed to modify the kinetics of thermal resistance . Several experiments were attempted in order to disclose the mechanism . A single injection of C . parvum-induced macrophages failed to enhance thermal response of the mouse foot, while 3 daily injections of the macrophages enhanced the response, indicating that the enhancement by C . parvum is at least partly attributed to the C . parvum-induced macrophages . Whole-body irradiation of 6 Gy and/or administration of anti-mouse T-cell serum and histamine failed to inhibit the C . parvum enhancement of thermal response . No thermal enhancement was observed for Chinese hamster ovary cells treated at 43.0 degrees in vitro with C . parvum or thiomersalate , a preservative supplemented in C . parvum, although cytotoxic effect was shown at a high concentration of thiomersalate .

P N G Med J, 1984 Jun, 27(2), 83 - 7
The bacteriology of skin sores in Goroka children; Bowness P et al.; The bacteriology of infected skin lesions was studied in paediatric outpatients . Thirty-nine untreated lesions were studied: 37 (95%) grew beta haemolytic streptococci (46% group A, 3% group B, 23% group C, 26% group G), 21 (54%) grew Staphylococcus aureus and 13 (33%) grew Corynebacterium haemolyticum . No attempt was made to selectively isolate Corynebacterium diphtheriae in this study . Vincent's organisms were seen in 13 (37%) of 35 gram stains from untreated lesions, including eight (73%) of 11 tropical ulcers . Twenty-three (92%) of the 25 strains of S . aureus isolated from untreated sores were resistant to penicillin.

Am J Vet Res, 1984 Jun, 45(6), 1090 - 4
Treatment of metritis with antibiotics or prostaglandin F2 alpha and influence of ovarian cyclicity in dairy cows; Steffan J et al.; From 4 dairy herds with a high prevalence of metritis, 153 cows with clinical metritis diagnosed at 30 days after calving were allotted randomly to 3 groups: (1) intrauterine antibiotics (chloramphenicol, framycetin) given in 3 doses, 1 week between doses (n = 53); (2) prostaglandin F2 alpha given IM in 2 doses, 14 days between doses (n = 61); and (3) control cows given a placebo (n = 39) . To further evaluate the efficiency of the treatments, uterine swabs were prepared from 59 of the cows; Corynebacterium pyogenes was isolated in 51% of the cows . All isolated bacteria were susceptible to chloramphenicol and 85% to neomycin and related antibiotics (framycetin) . The overall clinical recovery rates, estimated by 60 days after parturition, were identical (49%) in the 2 treated groups vs 33% in controls . The mean interval from calving to conception was 147 days in the controls and was shortened by 16 days in group 1 and 24 days in group 2 . The physiologic status, ie, ovarian cyclicity, was shown to exert a significant influence on the time required for recovery . On the average, anestrous cows recovered in 14 days and conceived 34 days later than did cycling cows.

J S Afr Vet Assoc, 1984 Jun, 55(2), 61 - 4
Prevalence and types of bacteria associated with subclinical mastitis in Bloemfontein dairy herds; Swartz R et al.; Bacteria associated with subclinical mastitis were isolated from machine-milked dairy herds in the Bloemfontein area supplying fresh milk during the period July to December 1980 . The 151 quarter milk samples examined, were also subjected to somatic cell counts . Identification of the isolated bacterial strains showed that Staphylococcus aureus was the dominant mastitis-associated organism, constituting 66,4% of all bacteria isolated . Compared with other recent mastitis surveys a low prevalence of classical mastitis streptococci (0,7%) and of Gram-negative bacterial infections (6,3%) was encountered . The Gram-negative bacteria were almost invariably isolated from neglected herds in which the cows were generally in poor condition and the hygienic measures employed were totally inadequate . Other bacterial strains isolated included Corynebacterium bovis (6,3%) and the coagulase negative staphylococci (11,0%) . The high somatic cell counts of the quarter milk samples yielding S . aureus, the mastitis streptococci and the Gram-negative bacteria suggested a major pathogenic role for these isolates . The frequent occurrence of C . bovis strains and coagulase negative staphylococci in samples with high somatic cell counts similarly suggested that these organisms were more pathogenic than is generally assumed.

Immunopharmacology, 1984 Jun, 7(3-4), 201 - 9
Role of vasoactive amines in the antitumor activity of endotoxin; Bloksma N et al.; To estimate a possible role of vasoamines in the antitumor action of endotoxin, effects of isoproterenol, serotonin and adrenaline on subcutaneously transplanted murine Meth A sarcoma and the capacity of these agents to elicit antitumor factors were studied . Macroscopically all agents induced tumor necrosis and a temporal tumor growth stop, but only endotoxin was capable of induction of complete tumor regression . Histology showed that all agents induced hyperemia by 4 h and hemorrhagic necrosis by 24 h . The latter was located superficially at the outside of tumors . Only serotonin and especially endotoxin induced substantial non-hemorrhagic necrosis in the remaining part of the tumors . Endotoxin induced a profound inhibition of the mitotic activity within the tumor, the effect of other agents was considerably less . Only endotoxin induced high levels of tumor necrosis factor, heat stable cytostatic factors and interferon in the circulation of mice treated with Corynebacterium parvum 14 days earlier . It is concluded that these and other data provide indirect but circumstantial evidence for a role of vasoamines in the induction of hyperemia and hemorrhagic necrosis by endotoxin . The latter two effects are probably causally related . It is suggested that non-toxic vasoamines may be useful adjuvants to other treatments of cancer.

Transplantation, 1984 Jun, 37(6), 600 - 5
Adoptive immunization against an established tumor with cytolytic versus memory T cells . Immediate versus delayed onset of regression; Dye ES et al.; Intradermal injection of an admixture of P815 tumor cells and Corynebacterium parvum results in the emergence of a tumor that grows progressively for 9-10 days and then undergoes complete regression . Tumor regression is preceded by a cytolytic T cell response in the spleen that peaks on day 10 and then undergoes progressive decay until days 15-16 when cytolytic T cells can no longer be detected . Passive transfer of 10-day or 30-day spleen cells to T-cell-deficient recipients bearing a 4-day tumor resulted in complete tumor regression . However, whereas passively transferred 10 day spleen cells caused the onset of tumor regression within 2 days, passively transferred 30-day spleen cells did not cause tumor regression until after a 6-8-day delay . Again, the antitumor function of 10-day spleen cells could be eliminated by treatment with cyclophosphamide and vinblastine sulfate, whereas 30 day spleen cells were resistant to both agents . These results indicate that 10-day spleen cells are physiologically different from 30-day spleen cells . The results are consistent with the interpretation that passively transferred 10-day spleen cells cause rapid onset of tumor regression because they are cytolytic T cells and have an immediate capacity to destroy the tumor . In contrast, 30-day spleen cells are helper or memory T cells with no capacity at the time of transfer to destroy the tumor.

J Parasitol, 1984 Jun, 70(3), 391 - 7
Early lymphocyte trapping in malaria infections: a particulate antigen mediated phenomenon; Lewis-Hughes PH et al.; During the course of rodent malaria a marked decrease in the numbers of circulating lymphocytes within the peripheral blood occurred 2-4 days post-infection . Monocytes and polymorphs did not show the same degree of decline . For both avirulent Plasmodium yoelii and lethal Plasmodium berghei infections lymphocyte numbers returned to control levels by day 6-8 post-infection . While these levels were maintained until clearance of P . yoelii infection, a sustained and abnormal increase occurred during P . berghei infection . Early lymphocyte depletion was also observed following Babesia microti and Plasmodium vinckei petteri infections, and could be induced by freeze-thawed P . yoelii infected blood and its particulate, but not soluble, fraction . Corynebacterium parvum and sheep red blood cells had no depressant effect on peripheral blood lymphocyte counts . Cell trapping experiments indicated that peripheral blood lymphocytes were preferentially recruited to the spleen in the initial stages of infection . Cell surface marker tests showed that the major cell type involved was Thy-1.2+ T-lymphocytes.

Am J Med, 1984 May 15, 76(5A), 172 - 9
Cutaneous infections: microbiologic and epidemiologic considerations; Bisno AL; The normal bacterial flora of the skin represents an important host defense mechanism against invasion by potentially pathogenic organisms . This flora is primarily composed of aerobic diphtheroids (Corynebacterium species), anaerobic diphtheroids (Propriono-bacterium acnes), and coagulase-negative staphylococci . Gram-negative bacilli may be present in limited numbers in intertriginous areas . Localized cutaneous infections occur in ostensibly normal hosts, often after trivial trauma, examples being streptococcal or staphylococcal impetigo, staphylococcal furunculosis, or more unusual infections due to agents such as Mycobacterium marinum . When the skin is injured more extensively by trauma, burns, ischemia with ulceration, or iatrogenic manipulations, or when host immunologic defenses are suppressed, more severe infections are likely to supervene, and the threat of systemic dissemination of infecting microorganisms increases . Cutaneous infection in immunosuppressed hosts may involve the same pyogenic bacteria that affect normal subjects or it may involve a variety of opportunistic invaders, including herpes viruses, gram-negative bacilli, mycobacteria, and deep or superficial mycoses . The skin may also be affected by infections whose primary site lies elsewhere in the body . Cutaneous manifestations may be secondary to hematogenous seeding of the causative agent or to the effects of toxins or immune complexes . Certain microbial agents may initiate a wide variety of cutaneous lesions, depending on route of infection and the status of the host . Thus, cutaneous lesions attributable to Pseudomonas aeruginosa range from "green nail syndrome" and self-limited folliculitis to ecthyma gangrenosum . Similarly, group A streptococci may produce pyoderma, cellulitis, lymphangitis, erysipelas, or scarlet fever . We recently described a syndrome of recurrent cellulitis in the saphenous vein donor extremities of patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafts . Most patients have associated tinea pedis . The pathophysiologic aspects of this syndrome are probably multifactorial, involving compromise of lymphatic or venous drainage, bacterial infection, elaboration of bacterial toxins, and hypersensitivity to bacterial or fungal products, or both . Coagulase-negative staphylococci are exhibiting a more prominent pathogenic potential than heretofore . When they infect immunosuppressed hosts or patients with indwelling intravascular catheters or cardiac prostheses, coagulase-negative staphylococci may cause life-threatening disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

J Immunol, 1984 May, 132(5), 2375 - 80
Effect of pregnancy on augmentation of natural killer cell activity by Corynebacterium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii; Luft BJ et al.; Studies were performed to determine the effect of pregnancy on NK cell activity and the augmentation of NK cell activity which normally follows injection of killed C . parvum or live T . gondii . When compared to cells from virgin mice, peritoneal and splenic cells from unstimulated pregnant mice showed no significant difference in NK activity . In contrast, NK activity of peritoneal cells from pregnant mice that received C . parvum or T . gondii was significantly lower than that found in comparably treated virgin mice . This reduced augmentation of NK activity in the peritoneal cells of pregnant mice could not be altered by the removal of plastic-adherent cells or of T cells by treatment with anti-Thy-1.2 antibody and complement . The number of effector-target conjugates was quantitated with a single cell assay, and was found to be comparable between cells from treated pregnant mice and treated virgin controls . However, the magnitude of lysis of target cells by peritoneal and splenic effector cells from pregnant mice previously injected with C . parvum was markedly and significantly reduced when compared to cells from comparably treated virgin mice . Thus, pregnancy is associated with an impaired ability to augment NK activity . This decrease in NK activity was not due to the depletion or dilution of NK cells, but to a functional impairment of the individual NK cells.

Eur J Cancer Clin Oncol, 1984 May, 20(5), 583 - 91
Corynebacterium parvum toxicity in patients with limited and advanced malignancy; Hirshaut Y et al.; The toxicity of intravenously administered Corynebacterium parvum was observed in 14 patients with stage II melanoma and in 14 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma . Those with melanoma were rendered disease-free by surgery prior to treatment . The ovarian cancer patients had failed chemotherapy with alkylating agents and were receiving C . parvum prior to chemotherapy as part of an immunochemotherapy trial . Both clinical and laboratory parameters were observed . The mean daily C . parvum dose for melanoma patients was 2.03 mg/m2 and for ovarian carcinoma patients 2.02 mg/m2 . The most important clinical toxic effects noted were fever, chills, blood pressure changes, headache, nausea, vomiting and diaphoresis . Laboratory toxicity was mild, with small decreases in hemoglobin levels, white blood cell counts and uric acid and albumin concentrations occurring in some patients . Serum bilirubin and SGOT levels tended to rise . In addition to determining the frequency of clinical toxic effects by treatment course, consideration was also given to frequency per treatment day, correlation of the occurrence of different toxicities in the same patient, time of onset of each toxicity and, for vital signs, to intensity of change and duration . In this analysis no major differences in toxicity were observed when C . parvum was given to the two patient groups.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 May, (5), 33 - 6
{Use of paper indicator systems for the rapid identification of Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Neisseria meningitidis and the genus Staphylococcus}; Fel'dman IuM et al.; The possibility of using paper indicator discs with glucose, saccharose, lactose and urea, manufactured at the Gorky Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, has been studied and the methods for the preparation of indicator discs with fructose, maltose, starch and sodium phenolphthalein-phosphate for the biochemical identification of C . diphtheriae, N . meningitidis and staphylococci have been proposed . The study of 395 C . diphtheriae strains, 98 N . meningitidis strains and 328 staphylococcal strains has shown that paper indicator systems are highly sensitive and specific, which makes it possible to recommend their introduction in laboratory practice for the rapid identification of the above-mentioned organisms.

J Bacteriol, 1984 May, 158(2), 441 - 6
Elemental composition of bacterial metachromatic inclusions determined by electron microprobe X-ray analysis; Webster JA et al.; Electron microscopy and microprobe X-ray analysis were used to study metachromatic inclusions of Spirillum itersonii , Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Micrococcus luteus . In situ metachromatic inclusions were electron dense and contained phosphorus and divalent cations . Metachromatic inclusions isolated by anion-exchange column chromatography and by isoosmolar Metrizamide density gradient centrifugation were similar in composition to in situ inclusions.

Am J Clin Pathol, 1984 May, 81(5), 679 - 83
Corynebacterium diphtheriae endocarditis: sustained potential of a classical pathogen; Trepeta RW et al.; This communication concerns a case of endocarditis caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae . The patient was a 35-year-old male drug addict who was brought to the hospital with fever, chills, and abdominal pain . Two days after admission, blood cultures were found to be growing gram-positive rods suggestive of diphtheroids . Repeated blood cultures grew the same organism, which was identified as a nontoxigenic strain of C . diphtheriae . The patient subsequently was identified as having acquired immune deficiency syndrome . Although isolates are divided into toxigenic and nontoxigenic strains, all isolates of C . diphtheriae should be considered potentially toxigenic . Because diphtheria generally is considered only of historic interest, few laboratories perform tests to identify it and instead report all isolates as "diphtheroids" or Corynebacterium . Because all isolates are potentially toxigenic, and because there is a large reservoir of nonimmunized people, laboratories must be alert to possible serious epidemiologic situations.

Isr J Med Sci, 1984 May, 20(5), 431 - 3
Septicemia due to Corynebacterium haemolyticum; Ben-Yaacob D et al.; A 65-year-old man in generally good health presented with symptoms of sepsis and mental confusion . Corynebacterium haemolyticum was isolated from three blood cultures, and a significant increase in the titer of immunofluorescent antibodies to the infecting organism was observed . Antigen of C . haemolyticum was demonstrated by double immunodiffusion in samples of cerebrospinal fluid and urine . The patient recovered after i.v . administration of 20 Mu/day penicillin . This is, to the best of our knowledge, the third reported human infection with C . haemolyticum with involvement of the central nervous system.

Arch Dermatol, 1984 May, 120(5), 656 - 61
Pleomorphic, variably acid-fast bacteria in an adult patient with disabling pansclerotic morphea; Cantwell AR Jr et al.; Disabling pansclerotic morphea (DPM) is a rare variant of scleroderma, characterized by immunologic abnormalities and peripheral blood eosinophilia . Sclerodermatous skin specimens from a 24-year-old woman with DPM were studied for the presence of acid-fast bacteria in bacteriologic culture and in microscopic sections . On three of four occasions, a highly pleomorphic organism was cultured from the skin lesions . Detailed bacteriologic investigations indicated that the microbe had unstable and vacillating morphologic characteristics and peculiar acid-fast properties . The organism could be identified as Staphylococcus epidermidis, but it also had stages of growth with morphologic forms more characteristic of a Corynebacterium-like or actinomycetelike microbe . Variably acid-fast coccoid forms, and variably eosinophilic- and basophilic-staining coccoid forms were observed in vivo . The morphologic forms observed in vivo were similar in appearance to some of the growth forms of the microbe observed in vitro, suggesting that such an organism might be implicated to the pathogenesis of DPM.

Immunobiology, 1984 May, 166(4-5), 382 - 96
T-cell recruitment regulated by prostaglandin-mediated system and its role in immune response; Koga Y et al.; The dynamics of the number of T cells in spleen and the level of prostaglandin E2 in plasma were investigated serially in mice injected with Corynebacterium parvum . In the first few days, the level of plasma PGE2 increased but decreased to lower than the normal level thereafter . The absolute number of T cells in the spleen began to increase after the PGE2 level dropped . But such an increase of T cells was not observed in ATx mice challenged with C . parvum . Moreover, replenishing the mice with exogenous PGE2 in the period of low PGE2 halted selectively the increase of T cells in the spleen . This enlarged T cell subset responded to PHA, expressed Lyt-1+2+, and was sensitive to PGE2 . And this T-cell subpopulation exerted a suppressive effect on antibody response in low PG environment, but lost its inhibitory effect in high PG milieu . These results suggested that an immature T cell subset is recruited from the thymus in a low PG state and participates as regulator cells in immune response at peripheral lymphoid organs.

Cell Immunol, 1984 Apr 15, 85(1), 94 - 9
The adverse effect of pregnancy on macrophage activation; Luft BJ et al.; Recently a remarkable decrease in the resistance to infection with Listeria monocytogenes and Toxoplasma gondii in pregnant mice was demonstrated . Since activated macrophages are important in the resistance against these organisms, studies were performed to determine whether pregnancy has an adverse effect on the activation of macrophages and effector functions of these macrophages . Peritoneal macrophages from normal pregnant and virgin mice or from pregnant and virgin mice previously injected with Corynebacterium parvum to activate peritoneal macrophages were challenged with EL-4 tumor cells to test for macrophage cytotoxicity or with T . gondii to test for the capacity to kill an intracellular pathogen . There was no consistent difference between the enhanced cytotoxic capacity of activated macrophages from pregnant and virgin mice . Macrophages from C . parvum-treated pregnant mice were deficient in their ability to kill or inhibit multiplication of T . gondii when compared to macrophages from C . parvum-treated control mice (P less than 0.001) . Activated macrophages from pregnant mice were only able to mildly inhibit multiplication of T . gondii when compared to macrophages from control mice . Thus, there was a dissociation of effector function of activated macrophages from pregnant mice; they were defective in their ability to kill an intracellular pathogen but killed tumor target cells as well as did activated macrophages from virgin mice.

Sem Hop, 1984 Apr 5, 60(15), 1075 - 7
{Corynebacterium (JK group) endocarditis . Apropos of a case}; Adoue D et al.; The authors report a case of Corynebacterium (group JK) endocarditis . The main characteristics of the causative pathogen are specified: diagnostic bacteriological criteria, pathogenic capability after cardiac surgery, therapeutic problems related to resistance to antibiotics.

Can J Comp Med, 1984 Apr, 48(2), 230 - 2
Characterization of strains of Corynebacterium bovis; Brooks BW et al.; The biochemical and morphological characteristics of 104 strains of Corynebacterium bovis isolated from bovine milk samples and the C . bovis reference strain were found to be uniform . Valuable criteria for identification were presence of catalase and oxidase, production of acid from glucose and fructose and a requirement for enriched basal media . Six strains of human and three strains of bovine origin were found to be inconsistent with the reference strain.

Can J Comp Med, 1984 Apr, 48(2), 141 - 5
Experimental colonization of the bovine teat duct with Corynebacterium bovis and the effect on milk somatic cell counts; Brooks BW et al.; Colonization with Corynebacterium bovis was established in 59 of 64 (92%), 58 of 59 (98%) and 19 of 34 (56%) of uninfected bovine mammary quarters following inoculation of 83.3 X 10(4) colony-forming units (CFU) of the organism into the teat cistern, 4.7 X 10(3) CFU 5 mm into the teat duct or by exposure of the teat orifice to a milk culture containing 1.6 X 10(7) CFU/mL respectively . Mean somatic cell counts for foremilk samples from 122 quarters were significantly higher after colonization with C . bovis (145,900/mL) compared to before exposure (130,900/mL).

J Hyg (Lond), 1984 Apr, 92(2), 161 - 4
Corynebacterium ulcerans in humans and cattle in North Devon; Hart RJ; A case of Corynebacterium ulcerans sore throat in a community that drank raw milk from its own farm led to the discovery of another symptomless human infection . Eight cows in the herd were found to be infected and the intermittent pattern of excretion was demonstrated in another cow followed through its lactation . Further evidence of milk infected by C . ulcerans was found by examining all raw milk samples submitted to the laboratory . Two other human cases were diagnosed in Devon during the period of this investigation.

Am J Reprod Immunol, 1984 Apr-May, 5(3), 114 - 6
Comparison of Corynebacterium parvum with Freund's complete adjuvant as a potentiator of the immune response to beta-human chorionic gonadotropin linked to tetanus toxoid; Covey DC et al.; Corynebacterium parvum was compared with Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) for potentiation of the rabbit immune response to beta-human chorionic gonadotropin linked to tetanus toxoid (beta-hCG-TT) . With each adjuvant, antibodies to hCG were detected using passive hemagglutination . Higher antibody titers were produced by FCA-treated animals . The ability of antisera to beta-hCG-TT to neutralize the biological action of native hCG was determined by the rat uterine weight assay . Anti-beta-hCG-TT sera from C . parvum-treated rabbits were not significantly different (p greater than 0.10) from FCA potentiated anti-beta-hCG-TT sera in neutralizing hCG-induced uterine weight gain . C . parvum has potential for future application in active immunization studies of fertility regulation.

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol, 1984 Apr, 57(4), 374 - 8
Recurrent diffuse osteomyelitis involving the mandible; Farnam J et al.; This report describes a case of osteomyelitis that did not respond to routine hyperbaric oxygen, surgical debridement, and intravenous antibiotics . The multiple sites of the osteomyelitis, the presence of skin lesions, and the unusual organism (Corynebacterium group JK, L form) that was isolated indicated that the patient might have an immunodeficiency, but none could be identified.

J Leukoc Biol, 1984 Apr, 35(4), 385 - 96
Macrophages in resistance to rickettsial infections: protection against lethal Rickettsia tsutsugamushi infections by treatment of mice with macrophage-activating agents; Nacy CA et al.; Peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c and C3H/HeN mice activated in vivo by intraperitoneal inoculation of viable Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG or the nonliving macrophage-activating agent Propionibacterium acnes (Corynebacterium parvum), were resistant to infection with Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, and they killed bacteria that did gain entry into the intracellular environment of these cells . This macrophage resistance to infection and intracellular destruction of rickettsiae was dependent upon development of an immune response to the activating agents, since macrophages elicited by sterile inflammatory agents failed to display either microbicidal activity unless cells were exposed to factors present in lymphokine-rich culture fluids from antigen or mitogen stimulated spleen cells (LK) in vitro . C3H/HeN mice that had been treated with activating agents, but not sterile inflammatory irritants, also survived intraperitoneal inoculation of up to 10(4) R . tsutsugamushi . This nonspecific protection required the chronic presence of activated macrophages: acute immune response induced by intraperitoneal injection of PPD into mice inoculated intradermally with BCG, or intraperitoneal inoculation of conconavalin A, were not sufficient to induce survival of rickettsial disease, although macrophages from these animals were activated to kill rickettsiae at the time of challenge . The critical nature of activated macrophages in nonspecific protection against rickettsial infection was demonstrated with the macrophage-defective C3H/HeJ mice . These mice are equally as susceptible as C3H/HeN mice to intraperitoneal inoculation of R . tsutsugamushi, but do not develop activated macrophages in response to BCG infection, and are not protected against lethal rickettsial challenge following BCG treatment.

Arch Microbiol, 1984 Apr, 137(4), 316 - 23
Isonicotinic acid hydrazide induced changes and inhibition in mycolic acid synthesis in Nocardia and related taxa; Tomiyasu I et al.; The mycolic acid compositions of Nocardia rubra and related bacteria grown in media containing different concentrations of antituberculous isonicotinic acid hydrazide (INH) were determined in detail by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry . On the basis of molecular species composition, average carbon numbers of mycolic acids were calculated . In Nocardia rubra, N . lutea and Rhodococcus rhodochrous IFO-13161, the ratio of mycolic to non-mycolic fatty acids and the average carbon numbers of mycolic acids were decreased at the INH concentrations of higher than 1 microgram/ml, paralleling with the significant inhibition of growth . In above three species the synthesis of longer chain mycolic acids (longer than C44 or C46 ) was inhibited more significantly than shorter homologues such as C38 or C40 . In contrast, neither growth inhibition nor change in corynomycolic acid composition was observed in Corynebacteria xerosis and Rhodococcus rhodochrous IFO-13165 at the concentration region of INH up to 100 micrograms/ml . The direct mass fragmentographic analysis of the trimethylsilylated (TMS) derivatives of mycolic acid methyl esters, monitoring {M-15} ions of individual molecular species, revealed that the chain shortening of total mycolic acid molecule by INH occurred more greatly in more highly unsaturated subclasses than in less unsaturated subclasses . Furthermore, mass fragmentographic analysis, monitoring fragment ions (A) and (B), due to straight chain and branched chain alkyl units, respectively, demonstrated the inhibition of mycolic acids was not attributed to the shortening of alpha-alkyl chain, but to the inhibition of chain elongation of C28 to C32 straight chain meromycolic acids . It was also indicated the amounts of trehalose mono- and di- mycolate (cord factor) decreased significantly with the addition of INH (1 to 20 micrograms/ml) in the above strains . From the results obtained above, INH appeared to inhibit the synthesis of mycolic acids longer than C44 or C46 specifically by inhibiting chain elongation or desaturation of precursor long chain fatty acids longer than C28 or C30.

Can J Comp Med, 1984 Apr, 48(2), 146 - 50
The susceptibility of bovine udder quarters colonized with Corynebacterium bovis to experimental infection with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus agalactiae; Brooks BW et al.; Twenty bovine udder quarters colonized with Corynebacterium bovis SR6 and 20 uncolonized quarters were challenged by inoculation of Staphylococcus aureus Newbould 305 (ATCC 29740) into the teat cistern . The percentage of infection in quarters colonized with C . bovis (50%) was significantly lower than that in controls (100%) . By similar challenge no significant difference was observed between the percentage of infection with Streptococcus agalactiae ATCC 27956 in 33 quarters colonized with C . bovis (70%) compared to 33 controls (87.9%) . A total of 37 quarters colonized with C . bovis and 37 control quarters were challenged with Staph . aureus Newbould 305 (ATCC 29740) and Maxi (ATCC 27543) and Strep . agalactiae (ATCC 27956) by exposure of the teat orifice . The percentage of teat ducts colonized with C . bovis which became infected with either pathogen was not different from that for controls.

Surgery, 1984 Apr, 95(4), 454 - 9
Ineffectiveness of adjuvant chemotherapy using DTIC and cyclophosphamide in patients with resectable metastatic melanoma; Balch CM et al.; A randomized, prospective trial of adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy was compared in a group of 136 patients with melanoma after complete surgical resection of advanced regional metastasis (stage III) or isolated distant metastasis (stage IV) . All patients received a 2-year course of nonspecific adjuvant immunotherapy of subcutaneous injections of Corynebacterium parvum (4 mg/m2 divided among the four extremities in 1- to 2-week cycles) . Half of the patients also received a 6-month course of dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide (DTIC) plus cyclophosphamide chemotherapy (each at 600 mg/m2 administered intravenously every 3 weeks for nine cycles) while the other half received no chemotherapy . Analysis of the data showed that adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide any demonstrable therapeutic effect, either in terms of disease-free survival or overall survival . No benefit was observed in subgroups of patients categorized by disease stage, site of metastasis, or sex . The drugs did cause a substantial rate of morbidity, however, since 42% of the patients had severe nausea and vomiting, while 13% had hair loss . The C . parvum was well tolerated in almost all patients . This is a particularly high-risk group for subsequent metastases since only 24% of the patients were free of disease for 1 year and 12% after 2 years . Adjuvant DTIC and cyclophosphamide had no observable therapeutic effect on this population of high-risk patients with melanoma.

J Natl Cancer Inst, 1984 Apr, 72(4), 871 - 84
Localization of a macrophage chemokinetic factor on neoplastic cells; Lane RD et al.; A rabbit antiserum was produced against a high-molecular-weight fraction (360,000) of murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC)-conditioned media . This fraction contained a factor that increased the rate of random migration (chemokinesis) of activated macrophages (M phi) in male C57BL/6J mice . The specificity of the antiserum was demonstrated by the ability of the antiserum to absorb the chemokinetic activity from tumor-conditioned media . Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated cell surface localization of antigenetically similar material on the LLC, Ehrlich ascites cells, MCA9/14 and MCA64/8 mouse fibrosarcomas, and MBT-2 mouse bladder carcinoma . The antiserum further indicated the presence of the chemokinetic factor (CKF) on the surface of peritoneal M phi previously exposed to tumor media . The CKF was observed on approximately 90% of the Corynebacterium parvum-activated M phi and of the M phi activated by maleic anhydride-divinyl ether copolymer (fraction 2), on 10% of the oyster glycogen-elicited M phi, and on 0% of the unstimulated M phi . these data support the concept that the CKF is a common surface marker of neoplastic cells and that it is bound by activated tumoricidal M phi.

J Bacteriol, 1984 Apr, 158(1), 325 - 30
Physical map of the chromosomal region of Corynebacterium diphtheriae containing corynephage attachment sites attB1 and attB2; Rappuoli R et al.; The chromosome of Corynebacterium diphtheriae C7 was recently shown to contain two equivalent attachment sites (attB1 and attB2) for lysogenization by corynephages (R . Rappuoli, J.L . Michel, and J.R . Murphy, J . Bacteriol . 153:1202-1210, 1983) . Portions of bacterial chromosome containing each attB site, as well as a 3.5-kilobase (kb) EcoRI fragment containing both attB1 and attB2 sites, were cloned in the pUC8 plasmid vector . Restriction endonuclease mapping and Southern blot hybridization analysis of restriction endonuclease fragments showed that attB1 and attB2 are 2.25 kb apart on the chromosome . Furthermore, a 0.85-kb HincII-EcoRI restriction endonuclease fragment containing attB1, a 0.77-kb HincII-BamHI fragment containing attB2, and a 1.2-kb EcoRI-BamHI fragment containing attP share short homologous regions . No homology was detected between the sequences flanking the two attB sites . The isolation of a segregant which had lost the entire chromosomal segment contained between attB1 and attB2 suggests that this region is not essential for growth.

Cell Immunol, 1984 Apr 1, 84(2), 317 - 23
Functional characteristics of the macrophage receptors for IgG-Fc and C3: failure to detect C3 receptor-mediated extracellular cytolysis by mouse peritoneal macrophages; Shaw DR et al.; The ability of several immunologic ligands to mediate extracellular cytolysis of sheep erythrocytes (E) by mouse macrophages was studied . E coated with rabbit IgG (EIgG), but not nonsensitized E or E coated with rabbit IgM (EIgM), were lysed and phagocytized by resident peritoneal macrophages as well as by macrophages activated in vivo with either BCG or Corynebacterium parvum or in vitro with lymphokine . EIgM incubated with mouse serum to deposit the third component of complement (C3) onto E (EIgMC) were ingested by thioglycolate-elicited and lymphokine-treated macrophages, but not by the other macrophage populations examined . However, none of the macrophages performed lysis of EIgMC, suggesting that engagement of macrophage C3 receptors by target cell-bound C3 was not a sufficient trigger for cytolysis . Lysis of E coated with both IgG and C3 (EIgGC) was moderately elevated over that of EIgG; this enhancement was not abolished after proteolytic destruction of the macrophage C3-rosetting capacity, indicating that C3 receptors were not responsible . EIgGC and EIgMC were more susceptible to hypotonic lysis than were either E, EIgG, or EIgM, suggesting that enhanced lysis of serum-treated E may be partially explained by increased E fragility.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1984 Apr, 95(4), 1201 - 7
Mechanism of reduction of Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase by dithiothreitol; Hayashi S; The mechanism of the reduction of Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase {EC 1.5.3.1} by dithiothreitol (DTT) was investigated . The reduction followed biphasic kinetics with second-order rate constants of 54 M-1 X S-1 and 5.4 M-1 X S-1 for the respective phases . When the oxidized enzyme was titrated with sarcosine under anaerobic conditions, no intermediate, such as a semiquinone or a charge-transfer complex, appeared during the reduction of the enzyme . On the other hand, on DTT titration, an intermediate with a semiquinoid character appeared, and its formation was maximum when half of the total FAD was reduced . An oxidized semiapoenzyme, which had lost 45% of the noncovalently-bound FAD present in the native enzyme, also showed biphasic kinetics in the reduction with DTT . The second-order rate constant was found to be 38 M-1 X S-1 for the fast phase . An intermediate was also formed and its concentration, estimated by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement, was found to agree with that of the noncovalently-bound FAD . In addition, the oxidized semiapoenzyme, which had lost 95% of the noncovalently-bound FAD present in the native enzyme, was reduced with DTT much more slowly than the native enzyme . In this case, the second-order rate constant was found to be 0.4 M-1 X S-1, and no intermediate was observed during the titration with DTT . On the basis of these data, it is suggested that the noncovalently-bound FAD accepts electrons directly from DTT in the fast phase through the semiquinoid form, while the covalently-bound FAD accepts electrons from the reduced noncovalently-bound FAD in the slow phase without forming an intermediate.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1984 Mar 1, 184(5), 570 - 7
Endocarditis of the aortic valve in the dog; Sisson D et al.; The clinical features of endocarditis of the aortic valve in 24 dogs were reviewed . This condition was found most commonly in large-breed, middle-aged male dogs . Evidence of antecedent infection or immunosuppression was usually not historically verified or found at necropsy . However, an association with congenital heart disease, especially discrete subaortic stenosis, was demonstrated . The most frequent clinical findings were systolic and diastolic murmurs and bounding arterial pulses, with or without signs of congestive heart failure . The most commonly isolated organisms were Corynebacterium sp, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, and Streptococcus sp . In addition to antibiotic therapy, treatment for congestive heart failure often was required . Despite aggressive therapy, most affected dogs died as a result of congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, infarction, sepsis, or renal failure.

P N G Med J, 1984 Mar, 27(1), 20 - 3
Carriage of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in children of the Eastern Highlands province; Montgomery J; The incidence of Corynebacterium diphtheriae in infected skin sores and the nasopharynx of 99 children from the Asaro Valley in the Eastern Highlands is reported . C . diphtheriae was isolated from 88% of skin sores and 26% of nasopharyngeal swabs . The most common biotype seen was C . diphtheriae var mitis . Toxigenic strains were uncommon, occurring in 5% of skin lesions and 15% of nasopharyngeal swabs . All isolates were sensitive to penicillin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol.

J Leukoc Biol, 1984 Mar, 35(3), 241 - 50
Macrophage-mediated tumor lysis induced by loach egg lectin; Yamazaki M et al.; Vertebrate lectin purified from loach egg was tested for induction of tumor lysis mediated by macrophages . Loach egg lectin lysed tumor cells but not normal spleen cells in cooperation with BCG- or glucan (TAK)-elicited peritoneal macrophages of mice . Corynebacterium parvum-, OK432-, glycogen-, lipopolysaccharide-elicited or resident macrophages were not effective . Neither loach egg lectin nor BCG nor glucan macrophages alone had a cytolytic action on tumor cells . Thus, the vertebrate lectin from loach egg is a mediator in macrophage-mediated tumor lysis, inducing binding of macrophages to target cells . This lectin-dependent macrophage-mediated cytolysis (LDMC) was inhibited by galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, fucose, or rhamnose . These results suggest that tumor cells can be recognized via glycoconjugates on cell membrane in addition to tumor-associated antigen and that some animal lectins participate in macrophage-mediated tumor lysis.

J Vet Pharmacol Ther, 1984 Mar, 7(1), 61 - 4
The effects of combinations of selected antibiotics on the growth of Corynebacterium equi; Prescott JF et al.; The minimal inhibitory concentrations of penicillin G, ampicillin, gentamicin, erythromycin and rifampicin were determined for nine strains of Corynebacterium equi . The effect of combinations of any two of these antibiotics on the killing of these strains was determined at antibiotic concentrations achievable in horses using recommended drug dosages (ampicillin 4.0 microgram/ml, gentamicin 1.0 microgram/ml using recommended drug dosages (ampicillin 4.0 microgram/ml, gentamicin 1.0 microgram/ml and erythromycin 0.25 microgram/ml) . Penicillin G was used at 4.0 microgram/ml and rifampicin at 0.063 microgram/ml . The combinations of gentamicin with erythromycin or rifampicin gave antagonistic effects on killing compared to either drug alone . Combinations of erythromycin with rifampicin or penicillin showed synergistic effects, as did penicillin--gentamicin . All other combinations, and a triple combination of penicillin--rifampicin--erythromycin, showed additive effects only.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Mar, (3), 48 - 55
{DNA homology study of Corynebacterium diphtheriae v . gravis groups I, II and III, Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (ovis)}; Krylova MD et al.; The homology of genomes within Krylova 's groups I, II and III of C . diphtheriae, including toxigenic C . diphtheriae and their nontoxigenic precursors within the same group, was confirmed by the method of DNA/DNA molecular hybridization; the homology of DNA within the groups was 89-103%, the thermostability of heteroduplexes being high (on the level of homoduplexes ) . The heterogeneity of genomes within these 3 groups of cultivar gravis was confirmed, which made it possible to consider C . diphtheriae, groups I, II and III, to belong to different, though closely related species; in intergroup hybridization the homology of DNA varied, as a rule, between 66% and 73%, while the thermostability of heteroduplexes was low: delta T50 was -3 degrees C to -6 degrees C . The differences in genomes (on the level of different species) between 3 groups of C . diptheriae v . gravis on one hand and C . diphtheriae v . mitis C7 (-) tox- and its convertant C7 (beta) tox+ of phage tox+ on the other hand (DNA homology being 56-62%), as well as between C . diphtheriae v . intermedius No . 328 tox+ on one hand and the representatives of 3 groups of C . diphtheriae v . gravis and C . diphtheriae v . mitis, strain C7 (beta) tox+, on the other hand (DNA homology being 42-43%) were revealed . The heterogeneity of genomes (on the level of different genera) was revealed between C . diphtheriae strains, cultivars gravis (groups I, II and III), mitis (C7(-) tox- and C7 (beta) tox+) and intermedius (No . 328 tox+) on one hand and C . ulcerans and C . pseudotuberculosis (ovis) strains on the other hand; DNA homology was 11-17% for C . ulcerans and 22-26% for C . pseudotuberculosis (ovis), the thermostability of heteroduplexes being at the lowest level (delta T50 was -11 degrees C to -13 degrees C) . As a result, C . diphtheriae, classified by Bergey as a single species, was found to comprise 5 species detected by means of marking in accordance with their phenotypical features and genome structure, carried out by the method of DNA/DNA molecular hybridization; among these species were group I, II and III strains of cultivar gravis, strain C7 of cultivar mitis and strain No . 328 of cultivar intermedius . C . ulcerans and C . pseudotuberculosis (ovis) strains investigated in this study can possibly be placed outside the genus including 5 C . diphtheriae species.

J Gen Microbiol, 1984 Mar, 130 ( Pt 3), 513 - 9
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of mycolic acids as a tool in the identification of medically important coryneform bacteria; Athalye M et al.; The mycolic acid derivatives of 11 unidentified pathogenic coryneform bacteria were examined by TLC, GLC and GLC-mass spectrometry . The resulting mycolic acid profiles of the unidentified isolates were compared with those of type or reference strains of possibly related coryneform species, namely Corynebacterium bovis, C . diphtheriae, C . xerosis and Rhodococcus equi . It was apparent that most of the unidentified strains showed a distinctive mycolic acid profile, with predominant amounts of relatively high molecular weight mycolic acids (C32-C36) and a high degree of unsaturation, and could thus be distinguished from both C . bovis, which had exceptionally low molecular weight mycolic acids (C24-C30), and C . diphtheriae (C28-C34), which had large amounts of saturated mycolic acids . The mycolates of C . xerosis and R . equi (C28-C36) were generally similar to those of the unidentified coryneforms but their overall mycolic acid patterns were different from one another as well as the unidentified strains . The mycolic acid profiles exhibited by the pathogenic coryneforms examined here were very similar to one another but unlike that of any of the type or reference strains included in the study.

South Med J, 1984 Mar, 77(3), 381 - 4
Cefoxitin therapy for Mycobacterium fortuitum bacteremia with associated granulomatous hepatitis; Brannan DP et al.; Mycobacterium fortuitum bacteremia with granulomatous hepatitis complicating home cyclic parenteral nutrition through an indwelling Broviac catheter occurred in a 41-year-old woman . She was successfully treated with intravenous cefoxitin and removal of the indwelling central catheter . The granulomatous hepatitis occurred in the apparent absence of mycobacteria from the liver . Incorrect identification of the organism as Corynebacterium J-K led to a change of antimicrobial therapy and clinical deterioration . It is recommended that acid-fast stains be done on "diphtheroids" when such isolates are suspected pathogens.

Scand J Gastroenterol, 1984 Mar, 19(2), 279 - 82
The normal cultivable microflora in upper jejunal fluid in healthy adults; Justesen T et al.; Bacteriological studies of uncontaminated upper jejunal fluid were performed in 85 normal subjects . Fifty-three per cent of the samples were sterile (less than 10(1) CFU/ml) . In 10% of the cases the total number of microorganisms exceeded 10(5) CFU/ml . The main groups of microorganisms isolated were Streptococcus sp ('Viridans group'), Lactobacillus sp., Veillonella parvula, Actinomyces sp., Haemophilus sp., Corynebacterium sp., and Candida albicans, each found in more than 10% of the subjects . Only the Streptococcus sp . exceeded 10(5) CFU/ml, and enterobacteria were found in 5% of the subjects, the number not exceeding 10(3) CFU/ml . No other typical members of the lower gastrointestinal tract were isolated . The number of subjects harbouring bacteria and the distribution of bacterial species were the same in both sexes and in different age groups.

Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol, 1984 Mar-Apr, 93(2 Pt 1), 183 - 6
Bactericidal activity of wet cerumen; Stone M et al.; The viable populations of seven species of bacteria were reduced 17% to 99% by treatment with a 3% suspension of human cerumen of the soft or "wet" type . Species tested for susceptibility to cerumen were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphlylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, Corynebacterium spp, Escherichia coli, and Serratia marcescens . The reduction depended upon the species of bacterium and the age of the culture . Pathogenic species appeared to be more susceptible than others, while cultures in logarithmic growth were more susceptible than stationary phase cultures to the bactericidal activity of wet cerumen . There appeared to be little difference in the bactericidal activity between the two lots of cerumen used . The bactericidal activity of wet cerumen was found to be quite similar to that of dry cerumen as reported earlier in the literature.

Infect Immun, 1984 Mar, 43(3), 1114 - 6
Production of diphtheria toxin by selected isolates of Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis; Wong TP et al.; We determined the diphtheria toxin phenotype of specially selected isolates of Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (C . ovis) . All produced proteins similar in size and immunological structure to diphtheria toxin . As with diphtheria toxin, they exhibited ADP-ribosylating activity, and their synthesis was regulated by iron.

Tumori, 1984 Feb 29, 70(1), 41 - 8
Controlled study with imidazole carboxamide (DTIC), DTIC + bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), and DTIC + corynebacterium parvum in advanced malignant melanoma . W.H.O . Collaborating Centres for Evaluation of Methods of Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma; Combination chemotherapy (VAC/FMC) with immunostimulation in metastatic breast cancer: a randomized study comparing different times and routes of administration of Corynebacterium parvum; From January 1978 to December 1980, 222 patients with metastatic breast cancer were included into a prospective multicenter trial . All patients were treated once a month with six cycles of VAC- (vincristine, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy, followed by FMC (5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide) until progression was documented . By random assignment, the patients received immunostimulation with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) by one of four methods: subcutaneous (SC) on either day 1 or day 14, intravenous (IV) on either day 1 or day 14 . The 214 evaluable patients were equally distributed to the four arms . The rates of complete or partial response to VAC/FMC plus CP did not differ significantly between the treatment groups . Of our patients, 22-33% were definite treatment failures . The Kaplan-Meier curves of duration of remission (medians 14 vs . 9 vs . 13 vs . 11 months) did not differ significantly . Only small differences in survival were noted among the four study groups (medians 15.4 vs . 17.5 vs . 17.2 vs . 13.0 months) . However, complete and partial responders lived significantly longer (Log rank test P = 0.008), when CP was given on day 14 by the SC rather than IV route (29+ vs . 14.3 months) . Patients in the four study groups were treated with virtually identical doses of VAC/FMC chemotherapy . Patients receiving CP intravenously on day 14 experienced significantly lower mean leukocyte counts than patients in the other groups . Many patients suffered from high temperature (requiring treatment with antipyretics) and severe gastrointestinal toxicity, particularly when CP was given IV on day 1 together with the chemotherapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Presse Med, 1984 Feb 4, 13(4), 197 - 200
{Chronic endocarditis on valve prosthesis . 6 cases}; Witchitz S et al.; Six cases of chronic endocarditis (more than 1 year duration) have been extracted from a series of 72 cases of endocarditis (delayed in 49) associated with intracardiac prosthesis observed over a 15-year period . In these 6 cases endocarditis developed 6 months to 2 years after valve replacement . The prosthetic material included 3 Starr-Edward's valves, 2 Hancock's valves and 1 intracardiac patch . The micro-organism isolated were Streptococcus in 3 cases, Serratia and Corynebacterium in 1 case each . The 18-month to 5-year course of the disease was marked by 2 to 5 relapses separated by long periods of apyrexia . The most significant complications were dysimmune syndrome (5 cases), embolic accidents (2 cases) and prosthesis disinsertion (4 cases) . Five patients benefited from antibiotic therapy; 4 were operated upon with recurrent disinsertion in 2 cases . Two patients died, one of repeated disinsertion, the other of myocardial dysfunction . Bacteriostatic antibiotics were administered continuously to 3 patients whose endocarditis persisted or relapsed, with satisfactory results in two cases followed-up for more than 2 years.

Lab Anim Sci, 1984 Feb, 34(1), 38 - 43
An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to Corynebacterium kutscheri in experimentally infected rats; Ackerman JI et al.; An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which detects rat antibody to Corynebacterium kutscheri was developed and compared with a tube agglutination assay in two infectivity studies . In four groups of rats inoculated intratracheally with 100-fold dilutions of Corynebacterium kutscheri , mortality, lesions, and recovery of Corynebacterium kutscheri were confined to the two highest dose groups . Five of 17 (29%) test rats seroconverted within 14 to 21 days post-inoculation as assayed by ELISA; four of these five (80%) seroconverted within 42 to 98 days post-inoculation as assayed by tube agglutination . ELISA titers were one to 16 times greater than tube agglutination titers . In 15 rats challenged intranasally with 6.9 X 10(6) Corynebacterium kutscheri , clinical signs were observed in one of 15 (6.7%), and bacteriologic and histopathologic evaluations detected exposure to Corynebacterium kutscheri in three of 14 (21.4%) and one of 14 (7.1%) of the rats, respectively . Fourteen days post-inoculation, seroconversion was observed in 14 of 15 (93.3%) by ELISA, as compared to six of 15 (40%) by tube agglutination (p less than 0.001) . The ELISA was more sensitive than tube agglutination through 21 days post-inoculation, while sera assayed 33 to 53 days post-inoculation had comparable titers in both assays . Specificity studies using four other Corynebacterium sp indicated that the Corynebacterium kutscheri ELISA cross reacted with two of four (50%) sets of corynebacterial antisera (Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium equi) prepared in rats, whereas no cross reactivity was observed by tube agglutination.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {B}, 1984 Feb, 92(1), 39 - 43
Multiresistant lipophilic corynebacteria from clinical specimens . Biochemical reactions and antimicrobial agents susceptibility; Ersgaard H et al.; Ninety-seven strains of clinically isolated Corynebacterium strains, probably identical with Corynebacterium JK, are described especially in regard to growth in relation to different lipid substances . The corynebacteria formed a homogeneous group of strict aerobic slow-growing, catalase-positive, urease-and-nitrate-negative typical coryneform rods . Acid was produced from glucose and maltose . Growth was stimulated in the presence of different lipid substances and lipodependence was suggested by satellite growth only around oleic acid drops on otherwise lipid-depleted agar plates . Generally the isolated corynebacteria were resistant to clinically achievable concentrations of penicillins, cephalosporines and aminoglucosides but uniformly sensitive to vancomycin and rifamycin.

J Dairy Res, 1984 Feb, 51(1), 11 - 6
Relationship between the level of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) in bovine milk and the presence of mastitis pathogens; Kitchen BJ et al.; Changes in the level of the tissue damage marker enzyme, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) in quarter fore milks were found to be related to the presence and types of pathogenic bacteria present and to somatic cell counts (SCC) . Minor pathogens (coagulase-negative staphylococci, Corynebacterium bovis) elicited a mild SCC increase (from a mean of 243 X 10(3)/ml in healthy quarters to 504 X 10(3)/ml in infected quarters) with marginal tissue damage (mean NAGase activity increased from 21 in healthy quarters to 28 in infected quarters) . Major pathogens (i.e . Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Str . dysgalactiae and Str . uberis) caused more severe tissue damage (mean NAGase of 48) and SCC increases (mean, 2803 X 10(3)/ml) . The NAGase test could also be used effectively on composite milk samples where regular monthly NAGase analysis was able to identify correctly 74% of animals having infected quarters . The possibility of combining SCC and NAGase data in order to give a more definite diagnosis of bovine mastitis is discussed.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Feb, 19(2), 245 - 7
Rapid identification of antibiotic-resistant corynebacteria with the API 20S system; Kelly MC et al.; The API 20S system (Analytab Products, Plainview, N.Y.) was evaluated for the rapid identification of multiply antibiotic-resistant aerobic diphtheroids . Sixty-eight clinical isolates of multiply resistant Centers for Disease Control group JK and group D2 corynebacteria had API 20S profiles which were clearly different from those of a number of strains of other Corynebacterium species which were tested . The API 20S system allowed more rapid identification of antibiotic-resistant diphtheroids than conventional biochemical tests . Its use for corynebacteria other than group JK and group D2 is not recommended at this time.

J Clin Microbiol, 1984 Feb, 19(2), 204 - 6
Isolation of Corynebacterium group JK from clinical specimens with a semiselective medium; Wichmann S et al.; A semiselective medium for the detection of multiresistant lipophilic corynebacteria is described . The medium consisted of tryptose agar, supplemented with Tween 80, lecithin, histidine, glycerol, sodium thiosulfate, fosfomycin, ticarcillin, and 5-fluorocytosine . The medium was tentatively called lecithin-Tween medium (LT medium) . It promoted mainly the growth of Corynebacterium group JK, which has recently been identified as a cause of serious infection in immunocompromised patients . The application of LT medium to 6,859 routine clinical specimens increased the percentage of Corynebacterium group JK isolation from 0.1 to 1.0% . Although a total of 72 isolates were found in 65 patients, on the basis of clinical criteria only 2 patients were regarded as having an infection with these bacteria . Consequently, Corynebacterium group JK infection can only be diagnosed through a combination of clinical and microbiological findings . In high-risk areas, however, the use of LT medium for surveillance may facilitate the early detection of these potentially dangerous organisms.

J Neurosurg, 1984 Feb, 60(2), 354 - 60
Treatment of CSF shunt infections with intrashunt plus oral antibiotic therapy; Frame PT et al.; Infections of 12 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts in 11 children were treated with oral systemic antibiotic therapy plus daily intrashunt injections of antibiotics . Eight patients were infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis (four patients) or Staphylococcus aureus (four patients), and were treated with intrashunt vancomycin, plus oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (T/S), plus oral rifampin . One of these eight patients was later changed to a course of intrashunt cephapirin and oral cephalexin plus oral rifampin . One patient with Micrococcus varians infection was treated with oral T/S and rifampin, without intrashunt therapy, another patient with Pseudomonas cepacia infection was treated with intrashunt kanamycin plus oral T/S, and a third with Corynebacterium sp . infection was treated with intrashunt vancomycin plus oral T/S . Eight of the 11 patients required some form of shunt surgery, the most common being temporary externalization of the peritoneal end of the catheter . Only two shunts were completely replaced (both were ventriculojugular shunts which were changed to ventriculoperitoneal shunts) . Nine of 10 evaluable cases were considered cured of their infections . The patient treated with cephalosporins had an uncorrected shunt malfunction and relapsed 1 month after completing therapy . The authors have shown that CSF shunts infected with Staphylococci can be effectively cleared with daily intrashunt vancomycin plus systemic therapy with oral T/S and rifampin . Less common infections may also be amenable to this form of therapy . Revision surgery, if necessary, should be carried out during the antibiotic therapy.

J Leukoc Biol, 1984 Feb, 35(2), 179 - 92
Abortive ectromelia virus infection in peritoneal macrophages activated by Corynebacterium parvum; Cohen DA et al.; We have previously demonstrated that peritoneal macrophages (M phi S) from C3H mice were resistant to in vitro infection by ectromelia virus, following activation by intraperitoneal injection of the immunomodulator Corynebacterium parvum . In contrast, resident and mineral oil-elicited M phi S were fully susceptible to virus infection . This report analyzes the infectious cycle of ectromelia virus in C parvum-activated and mineral oil-elicited M phi S and demonstrates that an abortive infection occurred in the activated M phi S that blocked the infectious cycle prior to the release of DNA from the infecting virions . The kinetics of adsorption of radiolabeled virus were similar in both susceptible and resistant M phi cultures; however, viral-induced incorporation of uridine and thymidine occurred only in the mineral oil-elicited and not the C parvum-activated M phi S . In addition, the late protein hemagglutinin was only detected in infected cultures of susceptible mineral oil-elicited M phi S . An electron micrographic analysis of the infectious cycle indicated that the adsorption of virus to the plasma membrane, uptake into lysosomes, and the primary undercoating and release of viral cores into the M phi cytoplasm were identical in both M phi types . In contrast, secondary uncoating (release of genomic DNA from the viral cores into the cytoplasm) was never detected in infected C parvum M phi S . These data are consistent with our previous findings and with the hypothesis that activation of M phi S by C parvum induces an interferon-mediated resistance to ectromelia virus infection.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1984 Feb, 13(2), 81 - 4
Relationship between bactericidal and phagocytic activities of peritoneal macrophages induced by irritants; Tsuru S et al.; Cellular accumulation to the peritoneal cavity and modification of various functions of peritoneal macrophages were observed in mice injected intraperitoneally (ip) with thioglycollate medium (TG), liquid paraffin, proteose peptone and Corynebacterium parvum . The cellular composition of peritoneal exudates at 4 days after injection of irritants was almost the same in all the groups and the proportion of macrophages was increased approximately 4 times more than nontreated controls . The ability to kill Listeria monocytogenes and to generate chemiluminescence (CL) were augmented strongly in C . parvum-induced macrophages, while depressed in TG-induced macrophages . The activities of liquid paraffin- or proteose peptone-induced macrophages were almost the same as those in nontreated controls . However, the ability to phagocytose native sheep erythrocytes was greatly augmented both in C . parvum- and TG-induced macrophages . There is thus a discrepancy between bactericidal activity and phagocytic activity among macrophages induced with various irritants.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1984 Feb, (2), 99 - 101
{Direct IgG-mediated reactivity of human neutrophils to Corynebacterium diphtheriae peptidoglycan}; Maianskii AN et al.; The direct and IgG-mediated reactivity to C . diphtheriae peptidoglycan in the system of neutrophilic phagocytosis was studied . Peptidoglycan treated with IgG (2-20 mg/ml) isolated from commercial immunoglobulin stimulated the reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium by human neutrophils . Direct (IgG-independent) reactions were much less intensive . The problem of normal IgG opsonizing C . diphtheriae peptidoglycan is discussed.

Br J Exp Pathol, 1984 Feb, 65(1), 81 - 90
Chemiluminescence of asbestos-activated macrophages; Donaldson K et al.; Chemiluminescence, a measure of reactive oxygen release by phagocytes, was compared in peritoneal exudate macrophages elicited with chrysotile asbestos, Corynebacterium parvum and saline . Chrysotile asbestos- and C . parvum-activated macrophages produced significantly more chemiluminescence than saline-elicited macrophages . In a second series of experiments the ability of opsonized chrysotile asbestos to act as a trigger for the release of chemiluminescence was tested . Opsonized chrysotile asbestos produced a dose-related release of chemiluminescence from activated macrophages except at the highest dose where chemiluminescence was reduced due, possibly, to a toxic effect of chrysotile during the assay . Opsonized latex also triggered a dose-related chemiluminescent response from activated macrophages . The potential role of toxic reactive oxygen species, released from macrophages, in the development of asbestos-related pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis are discussed.

Cancer Res, 1984 Feb, 44(2), 487 - 92
Antitumor immunity induced by hybrid tumor cells: comparison between hybrids and the parental tumor; O'Donnell RW et al.; The ability of hybrid tumor cells to induce antitumor immunity has been evaluated in the line 1 alveolar cell carcinoma (L1) model of BALB/c mice . Hybrid tumor cells were produced by fusing freshly dissociated L1 cells isolated from in vivo tumors with the hypoxanthine:aminopterin:thymidine-sensitive cell line, GM 347, derived from C3H mice . Each hybrid was characterized by DNA content and expression of H-2 antigens using a fluorescence-activated cell sorter . Irradiated L1 cells in the presence or absence of Corynebacterium parvum were capable of immunizing BALB/c mice against a challenge of live L1 cells, provided the challenge dose was small (50% lethal dose was between 6 X 10(4) and 1.2 X 10(5) L1 cells) . Testing of five hybrid clones and 1 uncloned hybrid line for their immunizing ability demonstrated a range in immunizing ability with none showing a statistically significant improvement in survival (p less than 0.0018) when compared to untreated controls . However, one hybrid clone, MoHb-L1-C2, was selected in which the survival of mice immunized with it compared to controls had a p value of 0.0255 . A tumor (labeled L1/A) which grew in one of the mice immunized with this clone was removed and hybridized with GM 347 to yield a second set of hybrids . Both this variant of L1 cells and a hybrid clone made from it (MoHb-L1A-C18) were capable of immunizing mice against a challenge of live L1/A (p values of 0.0000 and 0.0028, respectively, when compared to controls) . However, L1 cells were not able to immunize effectively against L1/A, and MoHb-L1A-C18 did not immunize against L1 . This suggests that L1/A is a subpopulation of L1 cells with a different antigenic composition . The limited success of MoHb-L1A-C18 against L1/A is thought to be due to the narrower range of antigenic specificities in L1/A and the ability of MoHb-L1A-C18 to represent an important antigenic subpopulation of L1/A.

Int J Dermatol, 1984 Jan-Feb, 23(1), 45 - 52
Histologic observations of pleomorphic, variably acid-fast bacteria in scleroderma, morphea, and lichen sclerosus et atrophicus; Cantwell AR Jr; Variably acid-fast coccoid forms, suggestive of cell wall deficient forms of mycobacteria, were observed in the dermis in microscopic sections of skin from six patients with generalized scleroderma, 10 patients with localized scleroderma (morphea), and four patients with lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) . These coccoid forms were found within the collagen bundles, around the adnexae (hair shafts, pilosebaceous units, eccrine glands), and less commonly around the blood vessels and nerves . These coccoid forms may be related to cocci and also to granular coccoid elements of corynebacteria-like coccobacilli, which, on occasion, can be cultured from the skin of these three diseases . The findings in this study support the three-decade old hypothesis concerning the constant association of pleomorphic acid-fast bacteria with scleroderma . The study also suggests that closely related diseases, such as morphea and LSA, are also associated with the presence of similar appearing microbes.

Can J Comp Med, 1984 Jan, 48(1), 10 - 3
Epidemiological survey of Corynebacterium equi infections on five Ontario horse farms; Prescott JF et al.; Corynebacterium equi was cultured from manure or soil on five horse-breeding farms in Ontario at monthly intervals on three occasions during the summer of 1982 . The organism was widespread . Contamination by C . equi of the loafing paddock and pasture areas was significantly greater in a farm established 30 years than in two established for four and six years and there was a significant correlation between the C . equi burden in stables, paddocks and pastures and the length of use of the five farms for horses . In all farms, numbers of C . equi in pasture soil exceeded numbers in fresh manure, suggesting that environmental multiplication of the organism might occur . A farm with an endemic C . equi pneumonia problem differed significantly from the other four farms, where disease was not endemic, in the larger number of C . equi isolated in the stable area . By contrast the farm with a C . equi pasture soil burden significantly heavier than on all other farms had no deaths due to C . equi pneumonia . There was a correlation (r = 0.78, p = 0.061) between the number of cases of C . equi pneumonia on the farms and numbers of C . equi in the area of the stables, but not on the paddocks or pastures . About two-thirds of randomly chosen isolates from the farms belonged to the three capsular serotypes most commonly found in pneumonic foals.

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 1984, 107(3), 199 - 205
Studies on natural killer cell activity and the influence of Corynebacterium parvum on murine T-cell leukemogenesis induced by butylnitrosourea; Seidel HJ et al.; Butylnitrosourea (BNU) was used to induce thymic lymphomas in BDF1 mice . During and after the 12-week BNU exposure the spontaneous NK cell activity against YAC-1 cells and that arising 4 days after stimulation with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) were measured, as were the mitogen responses of splenic T and B cells . In addition to BNU, groups of mice received multiple injections of the interferon inducer CP during or after the BNU exposure period . The results show a slight impairment of the NK cell activity by BNU and also after the injections of CP depending heavily on the treatment protocol . After the multiple injections of CP, either into BNU-treated mice or into controls, no further stimulation by CP was possible . The mitogen responses, reduced after BNU, were further reduced after the additional treatment . Both effects can be explained by the known induction of suppressor cells by CP . Although these treatments had pronounced effects on the parameters tested in vitro there was no significant influence on the development of thymic lymphomas in vivo.

Int J Immunopharmacol, 1984, 6(1), 55 - 9
The enhancement of tumor cell susceptibility to macrophage binding and cytolysis by p-aminobenzoic acid-N-xyloside sodium salt (K-247); Toge T et al.; The enhancement of tumor cell susceptibility to macrophage binding and cytolysis by the pretreatment of tumor cells by p-aminobenzoic acid-N-xyloside sodium salt (K-247) was investigated in the C3H/He mouse-syngeneic tumor system . Binding and cytolytic activities of Corynebacterium parvum-activated macrophages were significantly enhanced when target MM-102 and MH-134 cells were pretreated with K-247 at doses of 200 or 400 micrograms/ml, while thioglycollate-elicited macrophages showed much lower binding and lytic activities against K-247 pretreated target cells . No enhancement of these activities were observed when target cells were pretreated with D-xylose, which had no anti-tumor activity . Furthermore, in a binding assay a significant reduction of macrophage binding to target cells by the K-247 pretreated cold competitors was observed . It is suggested that target cell susceptibility to macrophage cytolytic activity might be enhanced by pretreatment with K-247, involving an initially increased target binding.

J Leukoc Biol, 1984 Jan, 35(1), 65 - 9
Genetic control of macrophage activation for killing of extracellular targets; Skamene E et al.; Activated peritoneal macrophages from Corynebacterium parvum-treated mice of most inbred strains, including C57BL/6J (B), are cytotoxic to adherent 1023 sarcoma target cells as well as to larvae of Schistosoma mansoni . Macrophages from A/J (A) strain mice, on the other hand, are defective in this function . Segregation analysis of these two traits was compatible with the hypothesis that effective activation is, in each case, controlled by a single, dominant, autosomal gene . Typing of individual animals of the segregating backcross progeny and of AXB/BXA recombinant inbred strains for the expression of macrophage activation for tumoricidal and schistosomulicidal activity indicates that the genetic control of these two traits is closely linked or identical.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1984, 17(2), 90 - 4
Augmentation of antitumor resistance by a strain of unicellular green algae, Chlorella vulgaris; Tanaka K et al.; Growth of Meth-A tumor in CDF1 mice was inhibited significantly by injection of a hot water extract of a strain of Chlorella vulgaris (CE) into the tumor or into the subcutaneous tissue near the tumor . The augmentation of resistance by CE may require the participation of T cells and macrophages, since it was abolished or reduced in athymic nude mice or mice treated with carrageenan, a macrophage blocker . Mice treated with CE exhibited antigen-specific augmented resistance against rechallenge with tumor . Moreover, the antitumor effect of CE was comparable with that of Corynebacterium parvum, but its mechanism of effect might be different.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1984, 17(1), 66 - 8
Decreased monocyte antibody-dependent cell-mediated toxicity in stage I-II malignant melanoma . Augmentation by subcutaneous Corynebacterium parvum; Murray JL et al.; Lymphocyte and monocyte antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against human red blood cells was examined in 28 stage-I-II malignant melanoma patients . Eighteen were studied at various time intervals after receiving SC Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum); 10 were untreated . Fifteen normal age-matched controls were also studied . Monocyte ADCC was significantly decreased in untreated patients compared with controls (P less than 0.005) and was significantly increased above controls and untreated patients in individuals treated with C . parvum (P less than 0.008) . No significant differences in lymphocyte ADCC were seen . Optimal enhancement of monocyte ADCC by C . parvum occurred from 2 weeks to 1 month after treatment . Significant decreases in ADCC to baseline levels occurred in patients studied from 3 to 6 months beyond treatment.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1984, 32(4), 413 - 9
Treatment of C3H mice bearing solid Gardner lymphosarcoma with vaccine prepared from Corynebacterium parvum combined with methotrexate and Alexan; Motycka K et al.; C3H mice after transplantation of solid Gardner lymphosarcoma were injected with Methotrexate (MTX) or Alexan . The prolonged survival time of mice treated with antimetabolites was in some cases evidently reduced after an additional injection of Corynebacterium parvum (C.p.) . This reduction did not depend on the sequence of corynebacterial vaccine or MTX injections . Significantly better effect of combined treatment with MTX injection and C.p . was found only once in mice preimmunized with the tumor irradiated from 60Co gamma source.

Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz), 1984, 32(4), 405 - 12
Effect of vaccine prepared from Corynebacterium parvum on the growth of Gardner lymphosarcoma in C3H strain mice; Motycka K et al.; The present paper discusses the effect of a vaccine prepared with formol-killed Corynebacterium parvum (alias Propionibacterium acnes) on the growth of solid Gardner lymphosarcoma transplanted on C3H (H-2k) mice . The vaccine was injected at various time intervals prior to, simultaneously with, or following transplantation of the tumor to intact mice or mice immunized with 60Co-irradiated Gardner tumor cells . The effectivity was evaluated in terms of numbers of mice surviving without tumor 60-day observation period or prolongation of survival time . Reliable effectivity showed vaccine (0.8 mg dry weight of C.p.) in the mixture with tumor transplant or when introduced 6 days earlier into the site of tumor transplantation . The preventive action of the vaccine was more pronounced in the mice immunized with inactivated tumor . The vaccine applied to mice with a transplanted tumor was ineffective and failed to significantly prolong the survival time even in mice which had previously been immunized with an inactivated tumor.

Nephrologie, 1984, 5(5), 225 - 7
{Comparative bacteriological and chemical analysis of kidney calculi . Apropos of 135 cases}; Bebear C et al.; The formation of some urinary tract stones (struvite stones) is known to be related to infection by urease-possessing microorganisms, such as Proteus sp . and some other bacteria . Ureaplasma urealyticum, a genital mycoplasma, contains also urease and is predominantly located in the urogenital tract . Its significance in the production of human urinary stones has not yet been elucidated . In this study, 135 human calculi obtained by surgery were analysed chemically and were cultured for the presence of conventional bacteria and U . urealyticum, 51 were ammonium magnesium phosphate stones and contained Proteus (27), E . coli (4), Staphylococcus epidermidis (3), Streptococcus D (2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1), Staphylococcus aureus (1), Corynebacterium (1), Candida albicans (1) . U . urealyticum was isolated in one patient, from two different calculi (left and right) taken after an interval of fifteen days . Different bacteria were isolated from other calculi (oxalate, uric acid) . This findings suggest that Ureaplasma urealyticum should be looked for in struvite calculi.

Med Microbiol Immunol (Berl), 1984, 173(3), 113 - 25
Comparison of antitumor activity of Lactobacillus casei with other bacterial immunopotentiators; Yasutake N et al.; Antitumor activity of Lactobacillus casei YIT 9018 (LC9018) was demonstrated by intralesional (i.l.) or intravenous (i.v.) administration into tumor-bearing mice which were inoculated with methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma (Meth A) or Kirsten murine sarcoma virus-transformed tumor (K234) cells . Its activity was significantly superior to the activity of two other species of lactobacilli but was nearly the same as that of Corynebacterium parvum or Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) . I.l . or i.v . administration of LC9018 into the tumor bearers caused local transient swelling or hepatosplenomegaly but did not cause other pronounced lesions . There was no significant difference in the degree of hepatosplenomegaly in LC9018 and that in other immunopotentiators . In mice whose tumors had regressed as a result of administration of LC9018 or the other immunopotentiators, the phytohemagglutinin P (PHA-P) response of the spleen cells was less than that of mice whose tumors progressed, and approached the normal level . The PHA-P response of popliteal lymph node cells proximal to the tumor lesion was fairly low compared with the splenic PHA-P response and there was no difference between the lymphocytes from mice whose tumors had regressed or progressed . Adjuvant activity of LC9018 in inducing tumor immunity was demonstrated by administering a mixture of LC9018 and Meth A cells to mice . This adjuvant activity was of the same efficiency as that of C . parvum and BCG . The presence of the antitumor activity of LC9018 in cell wall components was deduced from fact that removal of its cell wall by endo-N-acetylmuramidase (M-1 enzyme) abolished the activity . The possible availability of LC9018 for immunotherapy of tumors is discussed.

Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol, 1984, 74(4), 373 - 7
Adjuvant requirements for protective immunization of mice using a Trypanosoma cruzi 90K cell surface glycoprotein; Scott MT et al.; A wide range of adjuvants including alhydrogel, saponin, Corynebacterium parvum, DDAB, Pfizer CP-20,961, oil adjuvants and several MDP analogues have been compared for their adjuvant activity in protecting mice against lethal Trypanosoma cruzi infection following immunization with a T . cruzi 90K cell surface glycoprotein . Only saponin was found to be effective . Promotion did not correlate with the ability to promote a particular Ig isotype; however, saponin was unique in its ability to promote cell-mediate immunity against the 90K glycoprotein.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1984, 17(1), 38 - 41
Inhibition of normal rat macrophage functions by soluble tumor products . Effect of systemic treatment with bacterial immunomodulators; Iannello D et al.; The phagocytic and chemotactic activities of normal rat peritoneal macrophages were inhibited by sera from tumor-bearing rats (TBR) and 3 M KCl extracts of tumor mass . However, sera from Corynebacterium parvum- or Listeria monocytogenes-treated TBR did not inhibit phagocytosis . On the other hand, sera from C . parvum-treated, but not from L . monocytogenes-treated TBR still inhibited the chemotactic response of the normal macrophages . Furthermore, 3 M KCl extracts of tumors from C . parvum-treated TBR did not inhibit phagocytosis and chemotactic response of the same cells . Similar results were obtained with extracts of tumor masses from L . monocytogenes-treated rats . It is suggested that treatment with bacterial immunomodulators can influence the release from neoplastic cells of soluble products influencing normal macrophage functions.

Scand J Urol Nephrol Suppl, 1984, 86, 41 - 55
The bacteriology of Gardnerella vaginalis; Taylor-Robinson D; Even 70 years ago Gram-negative coccobacilli had been recognized in vaginal discharge and were cultured 30 years ago . The need to have blood in agar medium for cultivation suggested that the organisms might be a Haemophilus species . Later, however, growth characteristics and other features resulted in their being placed in the genus Corynebacterium, before it was realized that this was inappropriate and they were transferred to a new genus and species Gardnerella vaginalis . The organisms are Gram-variable, non-sporing, non-flagellate, non-motile coccobacilli of average size 0.4 X 1-1.5 microns . The cell wall is laminated and some strains possess pili . G . vaginalis is fermentative and dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, maltose, mannose, ribose and starch are most likely to be metabolized . However, published patterns of the sugars fermented vary widely and most workers do not rely on such tests as a means of identification . Of many other features exhibited by G . vaginalis, the following are outstanding: it does not produce catalase, cytochrome oxidase, hydrogen sulphide, indole, or urease . Nor does it degrade aesculin, liquefy gelatin, reduce nitrate, or decarboxylate arginine, lysine or ornithine . On the other hand, it is sensitive to hydrogen peroxide, often causes beta-haemolysis and usually hydrolyses hippurate and starch . G . vaginalis is serologically heterogeneous and causes haemagglutination which is mannose resistant . It is resistant to several antibiotics, including amphotericin, colistin, nalidixic acid and gentamicin, which may be incorporated in selective media.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Eksp Onkol, 1984, 6(6), 12 - 8
{Corynebacteria--stimulators of antitumor resistance}; Zatula DG et al.; The results of clinical and experimental studies with corynebacteria stimulation of antitumour resistance are described . It is shown that antitumour effect depends on the mode, dose and period of corynebacteria administration as well as on the stage of the tumour process . The mode of corynebacteria action is under discussion . There are doubts as to expediency of such a method of nonspecific immunotherapy of malignant tumours.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1984, 18(2), 87 - 90
Role of first stimulating agents in the production of tumor necrosis factor; Haranaka K et al.; The conditions and kinetics of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production were examined . For TNF production, dual stimulation is necessary . Priming agents such as BCG, Corynebacterium parvum, and zymosan, which can stimulate the reticuloendothelial system (RES), are good substances for TNF production with the aid of lipopolysaccharide . Wide differences are observed in TNF producibility among different priming agents . The producibility of TNF depends on the degree of stimulation of the RES by the priming agents . Those priming agents, e.g., Propionibacterium acnes and Corynebacterium anaerobium, that are able to induce substantial RES hyperplasia are also able to induce high levels of TNF activity . Following administration of large doses of BCG or zymosan, mice were found to produce TNF activity . However, PPD, OK 432, PSK, and Choreito were unable to induce TNF activity.

Microbiol Immunol, 1984, 28(7), 793 - 806
Immunosuppressive activities of peritoneal and splenic macrophages in murine leprosy: effect on lymphocyte transformation and tumor growth; Ha DK et al.; The ability of peritoneal macrophages (PM) and splenic macrophages (SM) to suppress tumor growth and lymphocyte transformation in vitro was studied in infected mice with Mycobacterium lepraemurium (MLM) . Both PM and SM of leprous mice showed cytostatic activity against tumor cells in vitro . However, such cells showed significantly less cytostatic activity on a per cell basis than highly activated macrophages obtained from Corynebacterium parvum-immunized mice . Furthermore, this cytostatic activity declined as the infection progressed . Mitogen-induced transformation of splenic lymphocytes was also suppressed in the presence of adherent PM and SM from leprous mice . PM from leprous mice showed significantly less activity than PM from C . parvum-immunized mice in terms of suppression of lymphocyte transformation . Moreover, PM from leprous mice treated with C . parvum or sodium thioglycollate broth demonstrated significantly less ability to suppress lymphocyte transformation than did PM from similarly treated normal mice or untreated leprous mice . These findings demonstrated that MLM infection stimulates the mononuclear phagocyte system but does not activated it to the extent that it confers enhanced resistance to MLM on the host.

Mol Gen Genet, 1984, 196(1), 175 - 8
Functional expression of the genes of Escherichia coli in gram-positive Corynebacterium glutamicum; Ozaki A et al.; Hybrid plasmids were constructed by combining in vitro the Escherichia coli plasmid pGA22, which carries the genes determining resistance to kanamycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol and ampicillin, with the cryptic plasmids, pCG1 and pCG2, of Corynebacterium glutamicum . The hybrid plasmids were introduced into C . glutamicum and E . coli and replicated in both hosts . They expressed all the E . coli resistance phenotypes except ampicillin resistance in C . glutamicum . The levels of antibiotic inactivating enzymes encoded on these plasmids were about four to ten times lower in C . glutamicum than in E . coli . Despite the lack of expression of ampicillin resistance, beta-lactamase activity was detected in C . glutamicum carrying hybrid plasmids.

Vet Med Nauki, 1984, 21(4), 26 - 34
{Clinical and hematological studies in experimental Corynebacterium infection in sheep}; Borisov I; Investigation were carried out with 24 sheep divided into groups of 12 animals each . The first group was subjected to the intrajoint infection via the lateral recess of the tarsum, using 2 cm3 of a 24-hour broth culture of Corynebacterium pyogenes for each animal, and the second one--to the i/v injection of 2 to 4 cm3 of the same broth culture . The clinical state and the morphologic changes in the blood were followed up in the course of 28 days . It was found that with such experimental suppurative surgical infection, caused by Corynebacterium pyogenes, there set in changes in the body temperature, and the pulse and respiration rates regardless of the route of infection . Both the haemoglobin and the erythrocyte count dropped, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate rose, and the latter was found to be due to the change in the total erythrocyte count . The intrajoint infection of the sheep led the rise of the total leukocyte count, while the i/v infection lowered it . Both test groups displayed aneosinophilia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and rise of the monocyte count, which depended on the way of infection and its clinical course . The suppurative surgical infection caused by intrajoint introduction of these bacteria set in at a slower rate and lasted for a longer time as against the single i/v infection.

Vet Med Nauki, 1984, 21(2), 96 - 100
{Effect of herbazin 50 on the course of suppurative surgical infection in sheep}; Karadzhov Ia et al.; Twelve sheep, divided into two groups of 6 animals each, were used . The first (test) group was offered herbazin -50 with the feed in the course of 90 days after which the animals were infected via the joints with Corynebacterium pyogenes . The second (control) group was also infected with the same pathogen in the same way . During the time the preparation was given and 30 days post infection the animals were kept under observation, following up their clinical, condition, and the occasional morphological and biochemical changes taking place in the blood and the immunobiologic responsiveness . It was found that sheep treated with herbazin -50 with a following infection with Corynebacterium pyogenes raised their blood levels of sugar, total protein, potassium, sodium, magnesium, SGOT, SGPT, and manifested an increased ESR, and lower calcium, inorganic phosphorus, carotene, vitamin A, and cholesterine serum level . It was also established that surgical infections brought about through such introduction of C . pyogenes developed much more rapidly and ran a much more severe course in sheep after the preliminary treatment with herbazin -50 . It is believed that they emerged after suppressing the immunologic responsiveness with the use of the preparation.

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 1984, 108(2), 214 - 20
Leukemia induction by methylnitrosourea (MNU) in selected mouse strains . Effects of MNU on hemopoietic stem cells, the immune system and natural killer cells; Seidel HJ et al.; T cell leukemias were induced by a single dose of methylnitrosourea (MNU) in DBA/2, C57/Bl/6, NMRI, BDF1, and CBA mice . The latency period in the CBA strain was much longer than in the others . Studies on the pluripotent stem cells in the bone marrow and T cell reactions of thymus and spleen cells showed a toxicity of MNU for these parameters but no significant differences between the strains . The activity of the natural killer (NK) cells in the spleen and peritoneal exudate cells, studied also after additional stimulation by injection of Corynebacterium parvum, was influenced by MNU, but again no relation to leukemogenesis could be established . The first leukemic (transplantable) cells were found in the thymus . The presence of leukemic cells could be responsible for low NK cell activities found in BDF1 and DBA/2 mice late after MNU.

Cancer Immunol Immunother, 1984, 16(3), 137 - 44
Schizophyllan (SPG)-treated macrophages and anti-tumor activities against syngeneic and allogeneic tumor cells . I . Characteristics of SPG-treated macrophages; Sugawara I et al.; We tested anti-tumor activities of macrophages treated with a neutral polysaccharide, schizophyllan (SPG), against syngeneic and allogeneic tumor cell lines . SPG was a macrophage stimulant which was not mitogenic to lymphocytes . That made a sharp contrast with the data that Corynebacterium parvum, BCG, and muramyl dipeptide (MDF) were macrophage stimulants which had lymphocyte-activating properties . Treatment of SPG-treated PEC with Thy12 monoclonal antibody and guinea pig complement did not affect the capabilities of tumor-cell-growth suppression by the treated PEC . Thus, the effector cells were peritoneal adherent cells (macrophages morphologically) and effector-to-target contact seemed to be necessary for effective tumor-cell-growth inhibition, although contradictory data exist for this . Murine peritoneal adherent cells harvested 4 days after a single IP injection of SPG at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight of mouse showed the most prominent cytostatic and cytotoxic activities against syngeneic and allogeneic tumor cells . The distribution of anti-tumor activity in macrophages of various sizes followed the same pattern as macrophages treated with C . Parvum, i.e., larger macrophages showed more remarkable anti-tumor activity . Crude nonadherent peritoneal cells incubated with SPG at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml, 100 micrograms/ml, or 1 mg/ml did not secrete lymphokine that rendered macrophages cytotoxic, while ConA-treated nonadherent cells did so . Furthermore, spleen cells treated with SPG in vivo did not secrete macrophage-activating lymphokine in the presence of SPG . On the other hand, addition of 1 mg/ml of SPG-treated peritoneal adherent cells and bone-marrow-derived macrophages in vitro rendered them cytotoxic to a moderate degree . This implies that SPG may activate macrophages directly, allowing them to become cytotoxic in the peritoneal cavity . Lastly, SPG could induce production of II-1-like factor to a moderate degree . SPG, whose molecular structure is well elucidated, will provide us with a strong tool to analyze the mechanism of macrophage activation both in vitro and in vivo.

Br J Dis Chest, 1984 Jan, 78(1), 89 - 97
Moderate to high dose cyclophosphamide and intercalated Corynebacterium parvum in patients with metastatic lung cancer; Thatcher N et al.; Thirty-nine patients with histologically proven widely metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma were treated with cyclophosphamide and Corynebacterium parvum . The dosage of cyclophosphamide was higher than conventional as previous work had indicated better results with increased dosage . Experimental work had suggested that the addition of Corynebacterium parvum would increase the antitumour effect and possibly reduce the cyclophosphamide induced granulocytopenia . A short treatment programme using three i.v . injections of cyclophosphamide, 1.5 g/m2, 2.5 g/m2 then 3.5 g/m2, at 3 week intervals were given . Four days after each cyclophosphamide injection, C . parvum 2 mg/m2 i.v . was administered . An overall 38% tumour response rate was observed, 18% for patients with non-small-cell carcinoma and 65% for small-cell carcinoma patients . The median survival for the 39 patients was 5 months (range 1-16+ months) . These results, particularly for the non-small-cell patient group are comparable to those obtained with intensive combination chemotherapy regimens administered intermittently over much longer periods . An important consideration, objectively assessed in the present study, was the effect of treatment on quality of life and breathlessness . Improvement was noted not only in those patients with tumour response but also in a proportion of those who did not fulfil the criteria of response . Toxicity was also carefully assessed and, although the cyclophosphamide dosages were higher than conventionally used, no undue problems were noted . The addition of C . parvum did not have any noticeable beneficial effect . Cyclophosphamide given at dosages higher than is usual but which do not require bone marrow rescue is worthy of further study.

Cancer Res, 1984 Jan, 44(1), 31 - 4
Synergistic effect between neutrophils and Corynebacterium parvum in the process of macrophage activation; Chapes SK et al.; Adoptive transfer of granulocytes exposed to Corynebacterium parvum in vivo or in vitro efficiently activates murine peritoneal macrophages in vivo . A comparison of the amount of bacteria required to produce similar levels of cytolytic activity indicated that 2 X 10(7) intracellular (neutrophil) bacteria were as efficient as 1 X 10(10) bacteria introduced directly . The time courses of macrophage cytotoxicity induced by these two methods were found comparable . Similar levels of activity were also observed in tumor cytostasis and inhibition of phytohemagglutinin-induced mitogenesis assays . However, when spleen size or cell division in the spleen or bone marrow was assessed, differences were found . Direct C . parvum injection caused marked splenomegaly . The proliferative fraction of cells in the spleen and bone marrow was significantly increased over both control and C . parvum-induced neutrophil groups . These results further document the nature and efficiency of the interaction between neutrophils and bacteria in macrophage activity . The findings are significant in that they demonstrate a novel way to activate macrophages in vivo without causing the potentially harmful side effects which result from direct injection of the biological response modifier.

Postgrad Med J, 1983 Dec, 59(698), 799 - 800
Acute polyarthritis following the use of Corynebacterium parvum vaccine (Coparvax) for malignant pleural effusion; Lever AM et al.; A 77-year-old man with a malignant pleural effusion was treated by aspiration of fluid and injection of Corynebacterium parvum vaccine for pleurodesis . Within 24 hr he had developed a temperature and a neutropenia followed by an acute crippling polyarthritis of his hands and wrists which subsequently responded to oral steroids and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1983 Dec 1, 183(11), 1269 - 73
Death of an African elephant from probable toxemia attributed to chronic pulpitis; McGavin MD et al.; A 31-year-old captive male African elephant (Loxodonta africana) of 5,000-kg body weight died suddenly in ventral recumbency . Lesions seen at necropsy were bilateral purulent pulpitis and periodontitis of both tusks, serous atrophy of coronary groove fat, Grammocephalus cholangitis, myocardial and skeletal lipofuscinosis, and scattered segmental necrosis in the pectoral muscles . Nonhemolytic streptococci, Corynebacterium sp, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Bacteroides sp, were recovered from the exudate around one or both tusks . We postulated that the elephant died of hypoxia from prolonged ventral recumbency because of weakness and inability to rise secondary to toxemia from bilateral pulpitis and periodontitis.

Obstet Gynecol, 1983 Dec, 62(6), 728 - 35
Treatment of advanced ovarian malignancy with chemoimmunotherapy using autologous tumor and Corynebacterium parvum; Gusdon JP Jr et al.; Fourteen patients with advanced ovarian epithelial carcinoma were treated with a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy . The chemotherapy consisted of either melphalan or a combination of adriamycin, cytoxan, and cisplatin . The immunotherapy consisted of the injection of autologous radiation-attenuated tumor and Corynebacterium parvum . No significant toxicity occurred as a result of the immunotherapy, and there was no evidence of tumor growth at the sites of injection . The autologous tumor skin test showed prognostic value . Skin testing with C parvum was of less prognostic value than tumor . All other studies of immunologic status, including T- and B-cell enumeration and blastogenic responsiveness of the patients' lymphocytes to autologous tumor and mitogens, were of no prognostic value.

Infect Immun, 1983 Dec, 42(3), 1049 - 54
Induction of interleukin 1 secretion by adjuvant-active peptidoglycans; Vacheron F et al.; The ability of differently structured, purified peptidoglycans (PG) to induce interleukin 1 (IL1) secretion was compared . PG from Bacillus megaterium and Staphylococcus aureus stimulated the production of IL1 by mouse peritoneal macrophages and human adherent mononuclear cells, whereas PG from Micrococcus lysodeikticus and Corynebacterium poinsettiae were inactive . There was a correlation between the ability of PG to induce IL1 secretion and previously demonstrated immunoenhancing activities (adjuvant effect, increase of resistance to tumor growth) of PG . PG solubilization by lysozyme decreased but did not abolish the PG effect on IL1 secretion . Active PG induced IL1 production in nude mice and in the C3H/HeJ strain (which is unresponsive to lipopolysaccharides).

Bangladesh Med Res Counc Bull, 1983 Dec, 9(2), 49 - 53
Incidence of cutaneous diphtheria in Bangladesh; Rahman KM et al.; PIP: The incidence of cutaneous and faucial diphtheria among 327 patients with skin ulcers from Dhaka, Bangladesh, was established, the organisms typed, and the patients' antitoxin levels determined . Corynebacterium diphtheriae was confirmed in 23 (7%) . 33% of the positive swabs were taken from the 6-10 year age group . Only 1 positive throat culture was found, in a patient with a negative skin culture . 18 organisms out of 19 typed were gravis strain and 14 of these produced toxin . 91% of the patients with positive skin cultures had serum antitoxin levels above 0.01 IU/ml, compared to 49% of the negative cases (p.001) . All wounds harbored from 1-3 other pathogenic organisms, of which staphylococcus, beta hemolytic streptococcus and E . coli were identified . It is likely that skin wounds infected with C . diphtheriae may aid in the spread of faucial diphtheria .

Can J Microbiol, 1983 Dec, 29(12), 1611 - 8
Immunomodulating activity of meningococcal antigens; Sparkes BG; A preparation of meningococcal antigens (MA) extracted in CaCl2, and containing mostly outer membrane proteins, was strongly mitogenic for murine B lymphocytes . Given to mice in vitro, MA markedly impaired subsequent in vivo T-cell responses of splenocytes . Suppression of normal T splenocytes in vitro occurred with both adherent (Ad) and nonadherent (NA) splenocytes from MA-sensitized mice . B cells were much less affected by the suppression induced by MA, and only Ad cells could convey in vitro the low level impairment of B-cell proliferation . Strong T-cell suppression associated with a B-cell mitogen is also produced by bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and Corynebacterium parvum . The possible role of these phenomena in meningococcal disease is discussed.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {A}, 1983 Dec, 256(2), 168 - 74
Further observations of Corynebacterium renale as an indicator organism in the detection of the exfoliation-positive strains of Staphylococcus aureus; Skalka B et al.; Exfoliatin-positive S . aureus strains of known phenotypes were examined for bacteriocin production using S . aureus 209P, C . pseudodiphtheriticum, or C . renale as indicator strains . Strains of the phenotype Bac+ Tox+ had a positive result when the simultaneous method was used, and produced a wide inhibition of the indicator strains, especially of C . renale, if the deferred method was used . The strains of the phenotype Bac- Tox+ were negative upon examination by the simultaneous method, but they caused narrow inhibition zones of the indicator strains to appear with the deferred method, especially with C . renale . S . aureus strains of diverse origin used as controls were in both methods negative with regard to inhibition of indicator strains . C . renale was found to be very suitable for the detection of bacteriocins of the exfoliatin-positive staphylococci, particularly when using the deferred method.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Dec, 24(6), 892 - 901
Relationship between pNG2, an Emr plasmid in Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and plasmids in aerobic skin coryneforms; Schiller J et al.; Erythromycin-resistant (Emr) coryneforms from cutaneous lesions and erythromycin-susceptible (Ems) coryneforms from normal skin sites were screened for plasmids . Approximately one-third of the 40 isolates carried one or more plasmids ranging in mass from 2.5 to 36 megadaltons, all exhibiting different restriction enzyme digest patterns . In contrast, only Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains comprising a single cohort of apparently identical Emr, pNG2-carrying isolates have been identified as plasmid carriers . Homology was demonstrated between pNG2 and a number of fragments in restriction enzyme digests of plasmids from both Emr and Ems skin coryneforms under high-stringency conditions . However, none was detected between pNG2 and the genomic or plasmid DNAs of Emr staphylococci or streptococci isolated concurrently with the Emr coryneforms . One coryneform plasmid, pNG34, exhibited extensive homology with pNG2, and many comigrating fragments were observed . Very little relationship was observed between C . diphtheriae and the skin coryneforms when their genomic DNAs were hybridized . The origin and presence of pNG2 in Emr C . diphtheriae is discussed in relation to these findings.

J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1983 Dec, 36(12), 1729 - 34
Antibacterial activity of palmitoyltuberactinamine N and di-beta-lysylcapreomycin IIA; Yamada T et al.; Palmitoyltuberactinamine N (Pal-Tua N) and di-beta-lysylcapreomycin IIA (di-beta-Lys-Cpm IIA), which are synthetic derivatives of the antituberculous agent tuberactinomycin (Tum) and capreomycin (Cpm) respectively, were tested for anti-bacterial activity . Pal-Tua N inhibited not only tuberactinomycin-resistant Mycobacterium smegmatis but also Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, although it has lost activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Di-beta-Lys-Cpm IIA inhibited the growth of laboratory-derived Tum-resistant M . smegmatis and M . tuberculosis as well as Tum-resistant M . tuberculosis from patients with one exceptional case.

J Biol Chem, 1983 Nov 25, 258(22), 13453 - 7
Properties of a thioredoxin purified from rabbit bone marrow which fails to serve as a hydrogen donor for the homologous ribonucleotide reductase; Hopper S et al.; A thioredoxin has been highly purified from rabbit bone marrow . This thioredoxin is heat-stable, has a molecular weight of approximately 13,000, and contains 4 half-cystines . It is a substrate for the NADPH-dependent thioredoxin reductase of rabbit bone marrow, catalyzes the reduction of insulin disulfides by dithiothreitol, and is a hydrogen donor for methionine sulfoxide reductase of yeast . Although active as a hydrogen donor for ribonucleotide reductase of Lactobacillus leichmannii, this activity could not be demonstrated when the bone marrow thioredoxin was tested with the ribonucleotide reductases of rabbit bone marrow and Corynebacterium nephridii . A regulatory role for the bone marrow thioredoxin was investigated by determining its ability to activate two of the enzymes of spinach chloroplasts known to require thioredoxin for their activation . The bone marrow thioredoxin effectively activates spinach NADP-malate dehydrogenase but not spinach fructose 1,6-diphosphatase . These observations suggest that instead of serving as a hydrogen donor for ribonucleotide reduction in bone marrow, this thioredoxin may be involved in the regulation of the activity of bone marrow enzyme(s).

Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Nov-Dec, 5(6), 1012 - 8
Corynebacterium equi: a review of 12 cases of human infection; Van Etta LL et al.; Corynebacterium equi, an aerobic, variably acid-fast, gram-positive "diphtheroid," is an unusual cause of pulmonary infection in immunosuppressed patients . Initially, infection with C . equi may be mistaken for a mycobacterial infection . Two cases in a two-year period were observed and compared with the 10 cases previously reported in the literature . All but one patient had pulmonary involvement, and the presentation of all other patients was typically insidious, with fatigue, fever, and nonproductive cough . Chest roentgenograms showed cavitary lesions in seven of 11 patients . Four of 12 patients had associated bacteremias, and three of 12 had subcutaneous abscesses or lymphadenitis . One of our patients developed multiple brain abscesses . Overall mortality was 25% . The organism is susceptible to vancomycin, erythromycin, aminoglycosides, and chloramphenicol . Optimal duration of antibiotic therapy and the proper role of surgery in treatment is uncertain, but relapses have been common and many weeks of antibiotic therapy have generally been required for cure.

Trop Anim Health Prod, 1983 Nov, 15(4), 209 - 13
Protection of cattle against Theileria annulata infection using Corynebacterium parvum; Manickam R et al.; Four groups of calves (A, B, C and D) each consisting of five calves were used for the present study . Group A calves were given Corynebacterium parvum alone . Group B calves were inoculated with inactivated ground-up-tick supernate (GUTS) prepared from Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum infected with Theileria annulata plus C . parvum . Group C received only inactivated GUTS . All the surviving calves of groups A to C were exposed on day 45 post-inoculation to a lethal tick challenge along with susceptible control calves of group D . All the calves of groups A and B withstood the challenge whereas all the calves of groups C and D died of theileriosis . Complement fixing antibodies were detected in calves of groups B and C . A significant decrease in neutrophils and a significant increase in monocytes was observed in calves of groups A and B . No significant changes were seen in other cell types . The results of this study demonstrated that C . parvum alone may be used as an immunostimulant for producing non-specific resistance against T . annulata.

Am J Vet Res, 1983 Nov, 44(11), 2167 - 9
In vitro effect of combinations of antimicrobial agents and EDTA-tromethamine on certain gram-positive bacteria; Wooley RE et al.; Combinations of EDTA-tromethamine and 7 antimicrobial agents (chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, oxytetracycline, penicillin, polymyxin-B, streptomycin, and a triple sulfonamide preparation) were tested for synergistic activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium renal, Listeria monocytogenes, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, and a beta-hemolytic streptococci . Two in vitro tests were used--minimal inhibitory concentrations of the drugs and a 2-dimensional Microtiter checkerboard technique . A slight synergistic action was seen when L monocytogenes was exposed to combinations of penicillin-EDTA or streptomycin-EDTA.

Bull Soc Pathol Exot Filiales, 1983 Nov, 76(5), 503 - 8
Differential susceptibility of rodent malaria parasites to nonspecific immunity; Cox FE; Nonspecific immunity to rodent malaria parasites can be produced by immunising mice with heterologous parasites or pretreating them with BCG, Corynebacterium parvum or Brucella abortus . Nonspecific immunity is easily produced against Plasmodium vinckei but not P . berghei . This is due to the difference between the cells occupied by the parasites, young red blood cells in the case of P . berghei and mature red blood cells in the case of P . vinckei.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 1983 Nov, 80(22), 6853 - 7
Nucleotide sequence of the structural gene for diphtheria toxin carried by corynebacteriophage beta; Greenfield L et al.; A 1,942-base-pair DNA segment encoding the structural gene for diphtheria toxin was sequenced, and the primary structure of the toxin was deduced . Restriction enzyme fragments corresponding to nontoxic or hypotoxic peptides of the toxin were isolated from corynebacteriophage beta and cloned into Escherichia coli on plasmid pBR322, and the sequence was determined . The mature toxin molecule deduced from the sequence has 535 amino acid residues and a molecular weight of 58,342 . The deduced sequence for the fragment A moiety was the same as that determined at the protein level, except for a single serine residue, which had been mispositioned in the earlier study . Several differences were noted with respect to the partial sequence data available on the fragment B moiety, some or all of which may reflect genetic variations among populations of corynephages carrying the toxin gene . The DNA sequence predicts a 25-residue leader peptide preceding the mature protein, which is presumably involved in secretion of the toxin from lysogenized Corynebacterium diphtheriae . We infer that initiation of translation probably occurs at a GTG codon (codon -25) . Cloned restriction fragments containing sequences for the amino-terminal region of toxin, together with 5' flanking regions, were expressed in E . coli . Toxin-related peptides were synthesized and secreted into the periplasmic space . These results provide a basis for applying recombinant DNA methods to the study of diphtheria toxin and for producing novel, genetically altered forms of the toxin suited to the construction of new classes of immunotoxins.

J Bacteriol, 1983 Nov, 156(2), 680 - 5
Molecular cloning and expression of gene fragments from corynebacteriophage beta encoding enzymatically active peptides of diphtheria toxin; Tweten RK et al.; Two restriction fragments from corynebacteriophage beta vir tox+ that encode peptides similar to diphtheria toxin fragment A and the chain termination fragment, CRM45, have been cloned into Escherichia coli in plasmid pBR322 . Clones containing the recombinant plasmids produced gene products that were active in catalyzing the ADP ribosylation of elongation factor 2 and were reactive with diphtheria toxin antiserum . Toxin-related peptides were found primarily in the periplasmic compartment and were degraded to nonimmunoreactive forms within 1 to 2 h of synthesis . The expression of both gene fragments appears to have originated from the diphtheria toxin promoter.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Nov, (11), 95 - 8
{Results of conducting an epidemiological survey of diphtheria in 21 territories of the RSFSR}; Sukhorukova NL et al.; As the result of epidemiological survey of diphtherial infection, carried out in conformity with the unified methodological recommendations in 21 regions of the RSFSR during 1980-1981, the expediency of such experiment was established . Immunity to diphtheria in children aged up to 14 years was high: children with negative Schick tests constituted 96.9-99.1% . No biological changes in Corynebacterium diphtheriae occurred during the term of observation . Toxigenic C . diphtheriae showed a high level of pathogenicity . The epidemiological survey contributed to a more thorough detection of diphtheria patients and carriers releasing toxigenic C . diphtheriae . The quality of clinical bacteriological diagnosis improved . In rare cases angina with the concomitant carriership of toxigenic C . diphtheriae could be diagnosed with the indispensable serological examination of the patients by Jensen's method.

Lancet, 1983 Oct 22, 2(8356), 923 - 6
Studies on the molecular epidemiology of diphtheria; Pappenheimer AM Jr et al.; DNA was extracted from toxigenic and nontoxigenic (tox+ and tox-) diphtheria bacilli isolated during a carrier survey that followed recovery of a tox+ Corynebacterium diphtheriae mitis from a baby with membranous tonsillitis . The electrophoretic gel patterns of restriction enzyme digests were indistinguishable from one another . They were, however, readily distinguishable from similar gels of DNAs extracted from diphtheria bacilli associated with outbreaks elsewhere . Hybridisation of a labelled nick-translated corynephage-beta c-DNA probe to nitrocellulose blots of these gels occurred only to blots from tox+ strains . Other hybridisation studies showed that all of seven strains, each isolated from a diphtheria case or carrier in a different part of the world, carried a prophage with DNA closely related to phage beta tox+ . When an individual carrying a tox+ diphtheria bacillus arrives in an immunised community, spread of the tox gene to other individuals may be via phage conversion of tox- C diphtheriae already prevalent among the nasopharyngeal bacterial flora of the local populace, rather than by colonisation with the tox+ strain itself.

Cancer Res, 1983 Oct, 43(10), 4670 - 5
Mechanisms of the potentiation of specific antitumor immunity by intratumor injection of Corynebacterium parvum; Miyata H et al.; Meth A fibrosarcoma-bearing BALB/c mice given intratumoral injections of 0.5 mg of Corynebacterium parvum showed a highly and tumor-specific transplantation antigen specifically potentiated concomitant immunity to a subsequent tumor challenge . This potentiated antitumor immunity could be locally transferred in the Winn assay to normal recipients with whole draining lymph node cells from the tumor-bearing mice, but the potentiated effect disappeared when adherent cells were removed from these cells . Moreover, the potentiated cytostatic effect on tumor cells was detected in the peritoneal macrophages but not in the nonadherent draining lymph node cells in in vitro tests . On the other hand, nonadherent draining lymph node cells from the tumor-bearing mice, when mixed with C . parvum-induced macrophages, exhibited a specifically potentiated antitumor effect . In addition, this effect was completely abolished by treatment of the draining lymph node cells with anti-Thy-1 and complement . Thus, the potentiated antitumor effect following intratumor injection of C . parvum may be ascribed to the collaboration of specifically sensitized T-lymphocytes with C . parvum-activated macrophages.

J Dairy Sci, 1983 Oct, 66(10), 2161 - 6
Physiological and pathological factors influencing bovine immunoglobulin G1 concentration in milk; Caffin JP et al.; Bovine immunoglobulin G1 concentration was determined by radial immunodiffusion in 349 milk samples of uninfected quarters, 95 of infected quarters, and 118 blood serum samples from 42 Holstein-Friesian cows taken at days 30, 150, and 270 . In lactation, immunoglobulin G1 concentration in milk was not affected by immunoglobulin G1 concentration in blood serum or location of quarters . The immunoglobulin G1 concentrations increased at the end of lactation and in samples collected from cows beyond the third lactation . Uninfected quarters had a mean immunoglobulin G1 concentration of .46 mg/ml . This was less than means from quarters infected by minor or major pathogens . Quarter infection by Staphylococcus aureus resulted in an increase of immunoglobulin G1 concentration in blood serum (9.22 to 11.3 mg/ml) . When Corynebacterium bovis was persistent throughout the lactation, immunoglobulin G1 concentration in blood serum was increased (11.26 mg/ml) . There was no correlation between somatic cell count and immunoglobulin G1 concentration in uninfected quarters . There was a slight correlation between bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G1 concentration in identical quarters (.23) . Infection of quarters increased in varying degrees the correlation between immunoglobulin G1 concentration and bovine serum albumin concentration or somatic cell count in milk.

J Comp Pathol, 1983 Oct, 93(4), 499 - 507
Naturally occurring Tyzzer's disease in a clean mouse colony: high mortality with coincidental cardiac lesions; Tsuchitani M et al.; Light and electron microscopic examinations were performed on tissues from 12 young mice which were affected by naturally-occurring Tyzzer's disease . Eight of the 12 mice had cardiac lesions which have not previously been reported in mice and which caused a high mortality . The cardiac lesions were detected in mice which had severe and advanced intestinal lesions which penetrated the deeper mucosa and muscular layer with active regeneration of the mucosal epithelium . Periodical serological tests to monitor the bacterial and viral status of this colony showed that it was free of other agents of murine disease such as mouse hepatitis virus, Corynebacterium kutscheri and Salmonella spp . until the onset of Tyzzer's disease and that no mixed infection occurred at the onset . It is considered that an advanced intestinal lesion is essential for the formation of cardiac lesions in Tyzzer's disease in mice.

Am J Vet Res, 1983 Oct, 44(10), 1966 - 7
Survey of bacteriologic flora of conjunctiva and cornea in healthy psittacine birds; Zenoble RD et al.; A total of 151 eyes from healthy psittacine birds were examined by bacteriologic cultural methods . Bacterial growth was not found in 41% of eyes cultured, Staphylococcus epidermidis was found in 25%, alpha-hemolytic streptococci in 25%, Corynebacterium spp in 7%, and Staphylococcus aureus in 5% . Each of the following organisms were found in 1% of the eyes; Pasteurella spp, Actinobacillus spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Enterobacter spp, Pseudomonas spp, Proteus spp, and Bacillus spp . More than one bacterial species was found in numerous eyes . Psittacines from an import station had a greater occurrence of ocular bacterial growth than did birds from private owners . The frequency of ocular bacterial growth and types of bacteria isolated were similar to studies from dogs and cats.

J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Oct, 18(4), 1011 - 4
Group JK corynebacterium peritonitis in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; Pierard D et al.; We describe a case of peritonitis with isolation of a group JK corynebacterium from the peritoneal effluent in a patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and treated with corticosteroids . Therapy with intraperitoneal vancomycin resulted in a rapid eradication of the organism . However, only 1 month after discontinuation of the 26-day therapy, a second episode of peritonitis with JK corynebacterium occurred . After vancomycin was restarted, the organism disappeared again from the peritoneal fluid, but the patient died a few days later from heart failure apparently unrelated to the infection . Some authors have mentioned the isolation of diphtheroids (without further identification) from peritoneal effluent of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients, but to our knowledge, this is the first report of peritonitis associated with JK corynebacterium, an opportunistic organism that must be differentiated from other corynebacteria.

Arch Intern Med . 1983 Oct;143(10):1995.
Corynebacterium xerosis endocarditis; Eliakim R et al.; Bacterial endocarditis due to Corynebacterium xerosis developed in a previously healthy person . Diphtheroid infection is a rare cause of endocarditis and, when present, it usually affects immunocompromised hosts or prosthetic valves . There are few reports of diphtheroid endocarditis on intact valves, and, to our knowledge, this is the first case in which the offending organism was identified as C xerosis . We call attention to the virulence of C xerosis in a person with no previous valvular disease.

J Reticuloendothel Soc, 1983 Oct, 34(4), 311 - 21
Suppressive effects of Corynebacterium parvum on primary and secondary antibody responses in mice; Ansell JD et al.; The splenic plaque forming cell (PFC) response of mice to an intraperitoneal injection of sheep erythrocytes was severely depressed by prior treatment with Corynebacterium parvum given four days beforehand by the same route . However, total antibody levels were less affected, and soon attained near normal titres . This implied that the effects of C . parvum were limited to the spleen, and that other tissues gave a substantial response during the period when the splenic response was suppressed . Equally, this apparently local immunosuppressive effect of C . parvum failed to inhibit the eventual development of a normal memory cell pool . It was also shown that primed cells in the spleen, challenged during the period when C . parvum inhibited primary IgG responses, were relatively refractory to its suppressive effects.

J Exp Med, 1983 Oct 1, 158(4), 1272 - 93
Apoprotein E is synthesized and secreted by resident and thioglycollate-elicited macrophages but not by pyran copolymer- or bacillus Calmette-Guerin-activated macrophages; Werb Z et al.; Macrophages are active secretory cells that display functionally distinct phenotypes that are regulated by inflammation . We have found that apoprotein E (ApoE), a component of plasma lipoproteins, was synthesized and secreted by resident and nonspecifically stimulated macrophages elicited with thioglycollate broth, but not by activated macrophages obtained from mice treated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin, pyran copolymer, whole Corynebacterium parvum, or bacterial endotoxin . ApoE represented approximately 1% of the newly synthesized protein and approximately 10% of secreted protein of resident and thioglycollate-elicited macrophages . ApoE from thioglycollate-elicited macrophages was indistinguishable from ApoE in mouse plasma lipoproteins, as determined by immunoreactivity, peptide mapping, and molecular weight . When specific antibodies were used to localize cell-associated ApoE, strong immunofluorescence was seen in the Golgi region of resident and thioglycollate-elicited macrophages immediately after removal from the peritoneal cavity, as well as after culture for up to 7 d . In contrast, activated macrophages did not synthesize or secrete ApoE to an appreciable extent and had no immunocytochemically detectable intracellular ApoE . When activated macrophages were cultured in medium containing serum, their activated state, as judged by production of H2O2, declined within 48-72 h in parallel with the induction of synthesis and secretion of ApoE and detection of intracellular ApoE by immunofluorescence . During prolonged culture the rate of synthesis and secretion of ApoE increased in both resident and activated macrophages . Therefore, the synthesis and secretion of ApoE may serve as markers for the functional state of macrophages.

Arch Biochem Biophys, 1983 Oct 1, 226(1), 276 - 84
Affinity labeling of ribonucleotide reductase by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivatives of ribonucleotides; Tsai PK et al.; Ribonucleotide reductase from Corynebacterium nephridii is rapidly inactivated by the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivatives of CDP (dial-CDP) and ADP (dial-ADP) . The analog of CDP causes the progressive inactivation of ribonucleotide reductase activity with Ki of 0.26 mM and a maximum inactivation rate of 0.092 min-1 at saturating concentrations of dial-CDP . The modified enzyme remains inactive even after extensive dialysis . The four common nucleoside diphosphates (ADP, GDP, CDP, and UDP) protect the enzyme against inactivation by dial-CDP . Experiments with {3H}dial-CDP, {14C}dial-ADP, and {32P}dial-ADP demonstrate that the nucleoside moieties of these nucleotide analogs become covalently attached to the enzyme and that inorganic pyrophosphate is eliminated . The stoichiometry of this inactivation, determined with {3H}dial-CDP and {14C}dial-ADP, is 0.6-0.8 site modified per subunit of enzyme . The results suggest that the enzyme catalyzes the elimination of pyrophosphate and that the resulting alpha, beta-unsaturated nucleoside dialdehyde or its corresponding alpha, beta-unsaturated dihydroxymorpholino derivative is attacked by a nucleophilic residue in the active site.

J Infect Dis, 1983 Oct, 148(4), 656 - 66
Effect of morphine on resistance to infection; Tubaro E et al.; Morphine was demonstrated to exacerbate infections . Experiments were performed to evaluate variations of phagocytic physiology during morphine treatment . In mice, morphine drastically reduced reticuloendothelial system activity, phagocyte count, phagocytic index, killing properties, and superoxide anion production in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages . Similar effects on alveolar macrophage count, phagocytosis, and killing were found in rabbits, a result which suggested a lack of species specificity . Additional experiments demonstrated that morphine (1) induces a reduction of lymphoid organ weight, (2) impairs the ability to eradicate infections and (3) is counteracted in its depressing activity on phagocytic physiology by small amounts of Corynebacterium parvum . The results suggest that there is a close relationship between the fact that morphine exacerbates infections and the fact that morphine depresses phagocytic functions; therefore, the negative effect of morphine on phagocytosis is at least one of the reasons for its negative effect on the development of infections.

J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Oct, 18(4), 926 - 9
Rapid microbiochemical identification of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and other medically important corynebacteria; Thompson JS et al.; A rapid biochemical method based on the fermentation of carbohydrates, the hydrolysis of urea, and the reduction of nitrate was used to identify Corynebacterium diphtheriae, C . ulcerans, C . pseudodiphtheriticum, C . haemolyticum, C . pseudotuberculosis, C . pyogenes, C . ovis, the Centers for Disease Control JK group, and Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi . With this procedure identification was confirmed for 133 stock cultures and clinical isolates of corynebacteria . Most were identified within 1 h and all were identified within 4 h after inoculation into the test substrates.

J Appl Bacteriol, 1983 Oct, 55(2), 367 - 9
A note on hydrolytic enzymes of Corynebacterium equi; Mutimer MD et al.; One hundred and five strains of Corynebacterium equi from various sources were examined for the production of 11 extracellular enzymes . Only lipase and phosphatase activity were detected in all strains . A small number of strains produced deoxyribonuclease but these strains were not confined to any one source . It seems likely that C . equi does not rely on a powerful array of extracellular enzymes to induce pathology.

Infect Immun, 1983 Oct, 42(1), 48 - 56
Detection and expression of DNA homologous to the tox gene in nontoxinogenic isolates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Groman N et al.; Three probes have been described which can be used to detect the presence of DNA sequences homologous to the tox gene of Corynebacterium diphtheriae . Probes "A" and "B" detected sequences coding for A and B fragments of diphtheria toxin, respectively . The third "A-B" probe contained both the A and B coding sequences . The B probe was completely unambiguous in detecting only toxin-related sequences, and the A probe was only slightly less so . The efficacy of the probes was tested on a series of toxinogenic and nontoxinogenic isolates of C . diphtheriae . All isolates which were toxinogenic as characterized by the gel immunodiffusion technique gave positive reactions with the probes . Of particular interest was the finding that 14 of 43 nontoxinogenic isolates also carried DNA homologous to both the A and B probes . All 14 isolates were nontoxinogenic by the rabbit intracutaneous test as well as by the gel immunodiffusion test; however, 12 of them produced ADP-ribosylating activity, whereas two were negative . The isolates producing ADP-ribosylating activity belonged to a cohort of cultures, of which 11 were isolated in South Dakota and 1 was isolated in Montana . Genomic DNAs of all 12 appeared to be identical when restriction enzyme digest patterns were compared, and the same fragment carried the tox gene in all of them . The tox-bearing nontoxinogenic isolates from Alaska and Florida each had unique restriction patterns and did not produce ADP-ribosylating activity . A number of genomic fragments of all the tox-bearing nontoxinogenic isolates hybridized with beta converting phage DNA . The significance of these observations to the natural history of diphtheria was discussed.

Int J Cancer, 1983 Sep 15, 32(3), 379 - 83
Effect of coordinated therapeutic assays using C . parvum, interferon and arginine butyrate on spontaneous disease and survival of AKR mice; Chany C et al.; AKR mice, known to develop spontaneous leukemia in almost 100% of cases, were studied throughout their life-span . Different treatments combining a potent immune stimulator, Corynebacterium parvum (CP), with interferon (IFN) and arginine butyrate were initiated at the 15th week of life . In a preliminary series of experiments, CP (200 micrograms), IFN (20,000 units) and butyrate 50 mM) were employed in a well-defined chronological order . In controls, the mean survival time (MST) was 35.17 +/- 1.67 weeks and the final survival rates was 0/50 mice for all experiments . Only CP associated with arginine butyrate significantly augmented the MST (42.5 +/- 3.66 weeks) and final survival rate (9/35 mice) . In an adjusted set of experiments, reducing the IFN concentration to 10,000 and 5,000 units and that of butyrate to 6 mM greatly improved the results . The MST was substantially increased with the combinations of CP + IFN + butyrate (41.4 +/- 1.86 weeks), CP + IFN (42.73 +/- 3.29 weeks) and butyrate + IFN (41 +/- 2.34 weeks), as well as the final survival rates (8/15, 10/15 and 6/15 mice respectively) . An important finding was that when CP and IFN were used separately, they were ineffective.

Lab Invest, 1983 Sep, 49(3), 291 - 8
Differential effects of chronic monocyte depletion on macrophage populations; Volkman A et al.; The administration of the bone-seeking isotope, 89Sr, to mice results in severe monocytopenia without any apparent effect on the numbers of resident peritoneal macrophages (Mphi) . An explanation for this dichotomy was sought by determining whether the residual blood monocytes were still an effective source of Mphi after 89Sr treatment . Stem cell enumeration showed that a 90% fall in bone marrow macrophage colony-forming cells after 89Sr was accompanied by a 10-fold rise in splenic M-CFC . Splenectomy performed before 89Sr treatment, however, resulted in little additional monocytopenia and had no affect on the numbers of resident peritoneal Mphi even when sampling was extended to 31 days, an interval beyond the accepted half-time for peritoneal Mphi . Intraperitoneal injections of thioglycollate or Corynebacterium parvum elicited few or no monocyte-Mphi during respective intervals of 4 and 7 days . Elicitation with thioglycollate was attempted in tritiated thymidine-labeled mice 26 days after 89Sr . Four days later only a 2-fold increase in labeled peritoneal Mphi was found in the 89Sr-treated mice compared with a 150-fold increase in the controls . Studies of the ectoenzymes 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphodiesterase I, and leucine aminopeptidase in such elicitation experiments suggested that the observed changes in activities reflected the direct stimulation of resident Mphi rather than monocyte immigration . Overall, the results indicate that treatment with 89Sr distinguishes two large populations of Mphi on the basis of their dependence on bone marrow . Mphi of inflammation reflect the monocytopenia and are severely and rapidly depleted by such treatment . The maintenance of resident type Mphi, on the other hand, appears to be independent of both the state of the bone marrow and the level of monocytes in the blood.

Vet Parasitol, 1983 Sep, 13(2), 115 - 9
Non-specific immunization against bovine tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata) using killed Corynebacterium parvum; Manickam R et al.; Killed Corynebacterium parvum was used as an adjuvant for the production of non-specific resistance against Theileria annulata in cattle . Groups of cross-bred (Bos indicus X Bos taurus) calves were administered C . parvum adjuvant subcutaneously and were then challenged with T . annulata-infected ticks on 45, 60 or 90 days later . The challenge caused mild reactions in the protected calves . None of the 10 immunized calves died due to theileriosis, whereas all three paris of susceptible control calves died due to theileriosis . It appears from this pilot study that cattle can be protected non-specifically with C parvum adjuvant against T . annulata.

Arch Intern Med, 1983 Sep, 143(9), 1801 - 2
Right-sided endocarditis complicating peritoneovenous shunting for ascites; Valla D et al.; We describe two patients with alcoholic cirrhosis in whom staphylococcal right-sided endocarditis developed after insertion of a peritoneovenous shunt (PVS) . Massive pulmonary embolism caused early death in one patient . In the other patient, staphylococcal septicemia was cured after shunt removal and antibiotic treatment; recurrent endocarditis due to Corynebacterium xerosis ultimately caused the patient's death . No clinical manifestation of tricuspid valve dysfunction was noted in either patient, and right-sided endocarditis was recognized only at autopsy . The protracted contact of the tip of the venous line of PVS with the atrial wall is likely to be a major factor in the development of right-sided endocarditis in these patients.

Arch Intern Med, 1983 Sep, 143(9), 1726 - 31
The role of immunotherapy in acute myelogenous leukemia; Foon KA et al.; The use of immunotherapy for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is controversial . Twenty-four trials have been reported in which 1,491 patients with AML received various forms of immunotherapy, including BCG, methanol extract residue (MER) of BCG, or Corynebacterium parvum . Some patients were immunized with allogeneic or autologous leukemia blast cells . In only four of the 24 trials was a significant prolongation of remission reported . Pooled data from all 24 studies were analyzed further . No statistically significant difference in duration of remission between patients who received maintenance chemotherapy alone and those who received maintenance chemotherapy plus immunotherapy was found . A significant survival advantage for those patients who received BCG and chemotherapy for maintenance therapy was detected . A beneficial biologic effect for the patients treated with BCG is suggested but this was not a disease-free survival advantage, and had no impact on cure of patients with AML . Immunotherapy, as currently conceived, seems to have no substantial benefit for patients with AML receiving optimal chemotherapy.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1983 Sep, 46(3), 560 - 4
Isolation and characterization of Corynebacterium diphtheriae nontandem double lysogens hyperproducing CRM197; Rappuoli R; Phage beta 197tox-, which codes for CRM197, a nontoxic protein immunochemically indistinguishable from diphtheria toxin, was UV induced from a culture of the C7(beta 197)tox- strain . A total of 191 C7(beta 197)tox- lysogens were isolated and selected according to the halo produced on TYE agar containing antidiphtheria toxin serum and were further characterized by Southern blots of their chromosomal DNA . Most of the isolates turned out to be monolysogens, but some tandem and nontandem double lysogens were also found . The nontandem double lysogens were stable and capable of giving high yields of CRM197, up to threefold higher than monolysogens . They are, therefore, suitable for large-scale industrial production.

J Bacteriol, 1983 Sep, 155(3), 1439 - 42
Initial characterization of the ferric iron transport system of Corynebacterium diphtheriae; Russell LM et al.; Transport of ferric iron into Corynebacterium diphtheriae C7(beta) was shown to occur by a high-affinity, active transport system . Optimal rates were at pH 6.8 and 40 degrees C . Strong inhibition of uptake by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone was consistent with the electrochemical proton gradient as the major energy source for iron transport, and inhibition by Hg2+ indicated that sulfhydryl groups were also important . Evidence was obtained for stimulation of iron uptake at pH 8.0 by a dialyzable, extracellular factor present in conditioned medium from low-iron cultures of C . diphtheriae.

Immunology, 1983 Sep, 50(1), 165 - 73
Membrane changes in murine macrophages after in-vivo stimulation and activation; Glass EJ et al.; The expression of various receptors and other surface determinants on resident, glycogen-and Corynebacterium parvum- elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages has been described . Macrophage Fc (IgG2b) receptors and I-A antigens were slightly increased after stimulation and a more marked increase was shown after activation with C . parvum . Complement receptor expression was enhanced after stimulation but was markedly reduced after activation . C . parvum-elicited macrophages, and to a lesser extent glycogen-elicited macrophages, showed a reduction in lectin-like receptors which recognize bacterial cell-wall sugars . Surface mannosyl determinants of the macrophage membrane were apparently increased after activation . The environment thus can be seen to influence the expression of macrophage surface receptors and antigens . These alterations are likely to influence the role of the macrophage in the immune response.

Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1983 Sep, (9), 94 - 9
{Epidemiology of diphtheria in the RSFSR during mass immunization over many years}; Sukhorukova NL et al.; The work defines the characteristic epidemiological features of diphtheria in the RSFSR at the present moment when a high level of antitoxic immunity is generally determined in children . With the diphtheria morbidity level having, on the whole, a sporadic character in the RSFSR, the intensification of the epidemic process has been found to occur in some regions . Changes in the ratio of morbidity rates among the urban and rural population are observed, the morbidity rate among the latter have the tendency towards increase . At present the characteristic feature of diphtheria is the prevalence of adults in the general morbidity structure . An important fact is a permanently high level of toxigenicity in Corynebacterium diphtheriae . As before, autumn is the season of the highest morbidity level.

Transplantation, 1983 Sep, 36(3), 328 - 33
Mechanism by which adult mouse peritoneal macrophages affect neonatal suppressor cell activity; Argyris BF; Suppressor cell activity is high in the spleen of newborn mice . The injection of adult mouse peritoneal exudate macrophages into newborn mice decreases the neonatal suppressor cell activity . Peritoneal exudate cells from thioglycollate and proteose-peptone pretreated adult mice are effective . Blocking the Fc-receptor on thioglycollate-induced macrophages eliminates their ability to reduce the neonatal suppressor cell activity . Peritoneal exudate cells from Corynebacterium-parvum-pretreated adult mice are not effective . The macrophage cell line, P388, also fails to decrease neonatal suppressor cell activity . A soluble macrophage factor, possibly Interleukin-1, is involved in the interaction between macrophages and suppressor cells . Stimulation of endogenous neonatal macrophage production with thioglycollate does not affect suppressor cell activity . The results are interpreted in the light of the hypothesis that a gradual increase in the number and/or function of macrophages after birth, results in a gradual decrease in suppressor cell activity, allowing for immunocompetence to emerge.

Science, 1983 Aug 26, 221(4613), 855 - 8
Nucleotide sequence and expression of the diphtheria tox228 gene in Escherichia coli; Kaczorek M et al.; The complete nucleotide sequence of the diphtheria tox228 gene encoding the nontoxic serologically related protein CRM228 has been determined . A comparison of the predicted amino acid sequence with the available amino acid sequences from the wild-type toxin made it possible to deduce essentially the entire nucleotide sequence of the wild-type tox gene . The signal peptide of pro-diphtheria toxin and the putative tox promoter have been identified, a highly symmetrical nucleotide sequence downstream of the toxin gene has been detected; this region may be the corynebacteriophage beta attachment site (attP) . The cloned toxin gene was expressed at a low level in Escherichia coli.

FEBS Lett, 1983 Aug 22, 160(1-2), 209 - 12
Acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine (platelet-activating factor) mediates heightened metabolic activity in macrophages . Studies on PGE, TXB2 and O2- production, spreading, and the influence of calmodulin-inhibitor W-7; Hartung HP; The phospholipid mediator AGEPC (acetyl glyceryl ether phosphorylcholine) was examined for its effects on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages . At a concentration of 10(-9)-10(-6) M, AGEPC evoked release of prostaglandin E (PGE) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) from albumin-elicited macrophages . It also triggered generation of O2- by Corynebacterium parvum-induced cells . Moreover, it caused augmented spreading of macrophages . The calmodulin antagonist W-7 attenuated AGEPC-mediated O2- production and cell spreading whereas prostanoid synthesis was enhanced . These novel actions of AGEPC on the major cellular component of the inflammatory process attest to its role as a potent mediator of immunoinflammatory responses.

J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1983 Aug 15, 183(4), 428 - 9
Isolation of Corynebacterium suis from the prepuce of boars; Pijoan C et al.; A survey for prevalence of Corynebacterium suis infection in boars was conducted on a Minnesota farm and at a slaughter plant . Preputial swab specimens were streaked onto Columbia colistin-nalidixic blood agar to which metronidazole (50 mg/L) had been added . Of 97 boars surveyed at a slaughterhouse, 32 (32.9%) were culture-positive, whereas 23 of 38 (60.5%) boars from 1 farm were culture-positive . The lower isolation rate at a slaughterhouse was attributed to the fact that these boars ejaculated before sampling.

Gynecol Oncol, 1983 Aug, 16(1), 6 - 14
Intracavitary Corynebacterium parvum for treatment of malignant effusions; Currie JL et al.; Intracavitary instillation of Corynebacterium parvum was used to treat recurrent malignant effusions in 15 patients . Eleven patients were treated for ascites, and four patients were treated for pleural effusion . Six patients (40%) had good response with no recurrence of effusions up to 3 months after treatment . Three patients responded but died before criteria for complete response could be fulfilled . Six patients were judged to have poor response, either because of death from tumor burden before evaluation could be made or because of recurrent effusions . There were no serious side effects directly attributed to intracavitary C . parvum therapy . Analysis of the results in this preliminary study suggests that patients who have had prior good response to chemotherapy, whose performance scale is adequate, whose tumor burden is not preterminal, and who have been previously treated with immunotherapy may be excellent candidates for definitive treatment of malignant effusions with intracavitary C . parvum.

J Immunol, 1983 Aug, 131(2), 948 - 53
Macrophages as effector cells of protective immunity in murine schistosomiasis . V . Variation in macrophage schistosomulacidal and tumoricidal activities among mouse strains and correlation with resistance to reinfection; James SL et al.; Mice of several inbred strains previously characterized as defective in various aspects of macrophage activation for tumor cell killing were utilized to compare the genetic control of induction of macrophage tumoricidal and schistosomulacidal activity and to examine the role of activated macrophages in concomitant immunity to Schistosoma mansoni infection . In all mouse strains tested, macrophage larvicidal activity developed concurrently with tumoricidal activity after in vivo bacillus Calmette Guerin or Corynebacterium parvum treatment . Lpsd strains, A/J, and P/N mice failed to develop macrophages capable of killing either tumor cells or helminth larvae in vitro, whereas C57BL/6J, C3H/HeN, and BALB/c mice all demonstrated strongly cytotoxic cells . In fact, analysis of the reactivity of peritoneal cells from C . parvum-treated F1 hybrids between H-2 congeneic high responder (B10.A) and low responder (A) strains of mice, as well as from F1 hybrid X parent backcross animals, suggested that macrophage activation for killing of these two unrelated extracellular targets is controlled by the same autosomal dominant gene . Strains of mice that failed to develop activated macrophages after in vivo treatment with bacterial stimuli also failed to develop tumoricidal and larvicidal macrophages as a result of S . mansoni infection . The addition of antischistosome sera to the cultures did not reverse the unresponsiveness of macrophages from S . mansoni-infected C3H/HeJ, A/J, or P/N mice in in vitro larvicidal assays . Furthermore, the pattern of concomitant immunity at 6 wk after primary S . mansoni infection correlated closely with the pattern of induction of activated macrophages in these strains of mice . Whereas animals with normal macrophage function developed highly significant levels of concomitant immunity, strains with the Lps defect demonstrated lower levels of acquired resistance, and A/J and P/N mice were not significantly resistant to S . mansoni challenge infection . These results indicate that the genes controlling macrophage activation for the killing of extracellular targets also influence the development of concomitant immunity in schistosomiasis, and suggest that macrophages activated as a consequence of primary S . mansoni infection may be involved in the in vivo effector mechanism of resistance to challenge infection.

J Immunol, 1983 Aug, 131(2), 1032 - 7
Monoclonal antibodies directed against mouse macrophages in different stages of activation for tumor cytotoxicity; Taniyama T et al.; Three rat monoclonal antibodies against mouse peritoneal macrophages in different stages of activation were produced and characterized . One of these (AcM.1) bound to activated macrophages induced by pyran and Corynebacterium parvum, but not to resident and thioglycollate medium- (TGC) or proteose peptone- (PP) elicited macrophages . On the contrary, the antigen identified by MM9 monoclonal antibody was expressed only on resident and TGC- or PP-elicited macrophages . WE15 monoclonal antibody, on the other hand, reacted with all of the macrophages described above . In the assay for function, AcM.1 and WE15 monoclonal antibodies in the presence of complement (C) abolished the capacity of activated macrophages induced by pyran or C . parvum but not the capacity of killer T cells and natural killer (NK) cells to kill tumor target cells . On the other hand, MM9 and anti-Thy-1.2 monoclonal antibodies in the presence of C, as expected, did not affect the cytotoxicity of activated macrophages . However, none of the four monoclonal antibodies in the absence of C had any blocking effect on macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity . AcM.1 antibody reacted with two polypeptides with m.w . of 70,000 and 45,000 on pyran-activated macrophages; however, the antigens recognized by WE15 and MM9 have not been determined yet . These results indicate that the three rat monoclonal antibodies define different antigens present on macrophages at different stages of activation for tumor cytotoxicity, and that these antibodies should prove to be useful probes for analyzing the mechanism of activation of macrophages for tumor cytotoxicity.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 1983 Aug, 24(2), 262 - 7
Production of a bacteriocin, ulceracin 378, by Corynebacterium ulcerans; Abrehem K et al.; The production of the bacteriocin ulceracin 378 by Corynebacterium ulcerans 378 was demonstrated during the growth of the organism on solid medium . Ulceracin 378 was not found in broth cultures and could not be extracted from the organisms by various solvents and salt solutions . Ulceracin 378 was not inducible by UV irradiation or mitomycin C treatments . Ulceracin 378 was active against all of the C . ulcerans strains tested and some related species, but it was not autoinhibitory . The active material was not phage related and was extracted from cultures grown on semisolid media composed of proteose peptone, Tween 80, Casamino Acids, glycerol, and sodium chloride . The yield was significantly reduced by either increasing the agar concentration or omitting Tween 80 . Ulceracin 378 was resistant to DNase, RNase, phospholipases C and D, and alkaline phosphatase but was susceptible to proteolytic enzymes . This suggests that the active principle of ulceracin is protein in nature . Ulceracin 378 was partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, dialysis, and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose.

J Biochem (Tokyo), 1983 Aug, 94(2), 551 - 8
Chemical modification of Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase: role of sulfhydryl and histidyl groups; Hayashi S et al.; Sarcosine oxidase {sarcosine: oxygen oxidoreductase (demethylating) EC 1.5.3.1} from Corynebacterium contained 8 sulfhydryl groups per mol of enzyme as determined with 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) in the presence of 0.2% SDS and by titration with p-chloromercuribenzoate (PMB) . Among them, 2 groups were easily modified by iodoacetamide (IAA) and the modification resulted in complete loss of enzymatic activity . The inactivation by IAA followed first-order kinetics with respect to IAA concentration . The presence of acetate, a competitive inhibitor (I), protected the enzyme from inactivation by IAA . However, the protection was only approximately 50% . The enzyme was also inactivated by PMB, but in this case, there was practically no recovery of activity after treatment with thiol compounds . The enzyme was also rapidly inactivated by incubation with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEP) . The absorbance change accompanying the inactivation showed that a single histidyl residue was modified by DEP, resulting in a complete loss of enzymatic activity . In the presence of acetate, the enzyme was completely protected from DEP-inactivation . Furthermore, DEP-inactivated enzyme recovered its enzymatic activity on treatment with hydroxylamine . These observations seem to imply that the modified histidine is essential for enzyme activity . In addition, modification by DEP changed the absorption spectrum in the visible region . This strongly suggests that the modified histidyl residue is present in the vicinity of the flavin moiety of the enzyme molecule.

Acta Med Okayama, 1983 Aug, 37(4), 335 - 40
Effects of the removal of the primary tumor and immunotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum on metastatic tumor proliferation; Hashimoto O et al.; The effects of surgical intervention by removal of the primary focus, and the effectiveness of an immunomodulator, Corynebacterium parvum (Cp), on the proliferation of metastatic tumor tissue were investigated by following the postoperative changes in the 3H-thymidine labelling rate of metastatic tissue in an experimental model of metastasis in mice . In addition, the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) was studied to investigate the immune capacity of the host . The labelling rate of mice that had the primary focus removed remained high with little variation, while that of the mice not operated on decreased gradually . On the other hand, in mice undergoing a sham operation, the rate was the same as that of the mice with the primary focus removed for a short while, but then gradually decreased . When Cp was administered, especially before removal of the primary focus, the rate was lower than that of the tumor bearing control group and decreased steadily . The number of pulmonary metastatic nodules was increased by removal of the primary focus, but this increase was inhibited by the administration of Cp which prolonged life . The depression in the DTH was less in the group given Cp preoperativeLy than in either the group of mice having the primary focus removed or those not having it removed.

J Parasitol, 1983 Aug, 69(4), 654 - 9
Anemia and thrombocytopenia from Corynebacterium parvum-stimulated resistance against malaria, trypanosomiasis, and babesiosis; Cox HW et al.; Nonspecific immunity (NSI) was manifested in rats injected intravenously with killed Corynebacterium parvum and challenged with Trypanosoma lewisi, Plasmodium chabaudi, or Babesia rodhaini . The NSI became evident some 5 days after infection as a suppressed parasitemia, a more rapid recovery from patent infection and as enhanced survival among rats infected with B . rodhaini . The C . parvum injections produced anemia and thrombocytopenia with splenomegaly and signs of glomerulonephritis in rats . The signs became evident about 5 days after injection and were accompanied by reduced titers of lytic complement, elevated titers of antibody against fibrinogen products (Anti-F), antibody against soluble serum antigen of malaria and babesiosis (ABSA), and antibody against the third component of fixed complement or immunoconglutinin (IK) . These were the autoantibodies associated with anemia and reduced parasitemia of infection-induced NSI . In as much as immunoconglutination of blood cells or parasites coated with complement fixing immune complexes was implicated as a functional mechanism in infection-induced NSI, it is possible that these same factors might function in C . parvum induced NSI.

Infect Immun, 1983 Aug, 41(2), 453 - 61
Cutaneous unresponsiveness to Mycobacterium bovis BCG in intravenously infected mice; Turcotte R et al.; Mice injected with 1 mg (about 1 X 10(7) CFU) of Mycobacterium bovis BCG in the footpad showed high levels of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to BCG antigens and a continuous increase in circulating specific anti-immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies throughout a 6-week observation period . In contrast, mice injected intravenously with a 1-mg dose failed to mount a DTH and showed a depression in antibody production at week 5 postinfection . A dose-response study revealed that an optimum dose of BCG, when injected intravenously, can induce a small but significant DTH response . The delayed cutaneous unresponsiveness in intravenously infected mice lasted at least 6 weeks and was not antigenically specific, in that it depressed the DTH response to Corynebacterium parvum . No simple relationship existed between levels of DTH and the amount of circulating anti-IgG antibodies . Splenectomy and treatment with a high dose of cyclophosphamide before infection, although greatly reducing the humoral response, did not reverse the BCG-induced unresponsiveness nor enhance levels of DTH in mice infected in the footpad . It is concluded that the intravenous infection of mice with BCG exerts a nonspecific inhibitory effect on delayed-type immune reactions by the induction of some type of suppressor mechanisms that are resistant to cyclophosphamide.

Ann Surg, 1983 Aug, 198(2), 164 - 7
The impact of surgical quality control in multi-institutional group trials involving adjuvant cancer treatments; Balch CM et al.; Quality control involving surgical treatment in multi-institutional cancer trials is important because the results of postoperative adjuvant therapy might be obscured by inadequate surgery or pathologic examination of the specimen . In 1975, the Southeastern Cancer Study Group (SEG) initiated a randomized clinical trial of adjuvant immunotherapy (Corynebacterium parvum vs . bacillus Calmette-Guerin) in melanoma patients with nodal metastases . During the course of reviewing the results several years later, 20 of 136 patients (15%) entered into this study were judged as surgically ineligible . The reasons were: 1) biopsy of a metastatic node only without any subsequent regional lymph node dissection (12 patients), 2) partial lymph node dissection (six patients), or 3) too few nodes surgically removed or pathologically identified in the specimen (six patients) . All 20 patients were entered into the study by medical oncologists . Thirteen of these 20 surgically ineligible patients have relapsed so far; many were taken off the study as "immunotherapy failures," when, in fact, they were surgical failures . Compared to the 116 surgically eligible patients, the 20 ineligible patients had a shorter median survival (4 months vs . 25 months) and a lower 1-year disease-free survival rate (36% vs . 62%, p = 0.01) . The two groups were balanced equally with respect to prognostic factors . Because of these findings, minimum surgical and pathologic guidelines were established for each adjuvant therapy protocol in the SEG . Surgical quality control was reviewed by a surgeon in each institution prior to randomization and again by a surgical investigator centrally . Pathologic criteria were also defined more precisely . The problems with surgically ineligible patients have since been virtually eliminated . Quality control measures for surgical patients entered into cooperative group trials is an essential part of the protocol design and data review . In order to evaluate properly the impact of adjuvant therapy, each clinical trial must comprise a uniform group of surgically treated patients.

J Clin Lab Immunol, 1983 Aug, 11(4), 181 - 7
In vivo antineoplastic activity of various biological response modifiers for tumors of the ovary and breast; Stratton JA et al.; Fourteen pharmacologic agents reported to have biological activities which are directly or indirectly antineoplastic, were assayed for their ability to inhibit the growth of a mouse neoplasia (M5076) and a rat mammary adenocarcinoma (13762) implanted beneath the renal capsule of the host . Ascorbic acid, cimetidine hydrochloride . Corynebacterium parvum, dimethylsulfoxide, naloxone hydrochloride, indomethacin, muramyl-dipeptide, Protein A from Staphylococcus aureus, theophylline, tilorone (analog R11, 877DA), tuftsin diacetate and sodium ibuprofen were completely inactive as antineoplastic agents for these 2 tumors . In fact, theophylline and dimethylsulfoxide seemed to enhance the formation of 13762 metastases . Blue tongue virus and polyinocinic-polycytidylic acid were marginally effective antineoplastic agents for 13762 . Polyinocinic-polycytidylic acid was an excellent antineoplastic agent for M5076; this agent not only prevented the growth of M5076, it was oncolytic.

Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand {C}, 1983 Aug, 91(4), 299 - 304
Fractionation of untreated and inflammatory murine peritoneal macrophages on discontinuous Percoll density gradients; Rasmussen SE et al.; Peritoneal cells from C57/BL/6J mice untreated or injected with saline, proteose-peptone or Corynebacterium parvum intraperitoneally or Sauton medium or BCG intravenously were fractionated on discontinuous Percoll gradients . Six subsets of macrophages were obtained in all the groups . Injection of BCG and proteose-peptone increased the percentage of heavy density macrophages whereas C . parvum caused an increase in macrophages in the lighter density fractions . The macrophages in all the subsets were tested for their ability to kill L929 target cells and cytochemically for expression of beta-galactosidase . The highest degree of cytotoxicity was found in the higher density subsets, although the other subsets in the C . parvum group were also cytotoxic . There was a marked reduction in beta-galactosidase in macrophages obtained after injection of C . parvum and to a varying degree after injection of BCG, proteose-peptone or saline . Cells which were devoid of enzyme were evenly distributed throughout the subsets . These studies indicate that a certain degree of separation of cytotoxic macrophages can be achieved by density centrifugation, but not of cells containing different amounts of beta-galactosidase.

Immunology, 1983 Aug, 49(4), 571 - 83
Murine interleukin-2 generates glycogen-rich and mucus-secreting NK cells; Ginsburg H et al.; Colonies of cells termed 'giant granular leucocytes' (GGL) displaying natural killer (NK) activity were generated in cell culture . The prominent feature of these cells was the formation of large cytoplasmic pool--the 'theca'--filled up with glycogen . This was demonstrated by the strong positive red staining of the theca with periodic acid Schiff reagent (PAS) which was abolished by prior treatment with amylase . Two different procedures were employed for obtaining colonies of NK-GGL . In the first, mice were injected either with killed Corynebacterium parvum or with killed Bordetella pertusis preparations and their mesenteric lymph-node cells were grown on syngeneic X-irradiated embryonic skin fibroblast monolayers . At the foci of GGL formation the fibroblasts were killed and the cleared areas thus formed were populated by adherent GGL . In the second procedure, supernates from rat or mouse spleen cultures stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A)--Interleukin-2 (IL-2)--were added to cultures of spleen and lymph-node cells prepared from either ordinary or from athymic nude mice . Richest GGL populations developed when rat IL-2 was added to cells of nude mice . Mouse IL-2 was less consistent . With nude mouse cells it stimulated, either mast cells or GGL, or both; rat IL-2 did not stimulate mast-cell differentiation in nude mouse cultures . In contrast, supernates from lymph-node cell cultures prepared from mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni . Mucosal mast cell-stimulating factor (MMSF) stimulated the formation of colonies of mast cells but not GGL . When MMSF was added as late as 23 days, colonies of young mast cells appeared and mast cells progressively increased in number . When rat IL-2 was added to such mature mast-cell cultures on the 30th day, colonies of cytolytic-GGL appeared . These observations indicate that precursors of mast cells and GGL persist in the cultures and preserve their potential to be stimulated by T-cell factors . GGL-NK cells developed on monolayers prepared from whole embryos released substance that displayed morphology and staining characteristic of mucus . Evidence gathered from in-vitro and in-vivo studies links the in-vitro GGL-NK cells to motile cells that inhabit the mucosal epithelium . Based on the observations, a hypothesis on the function of NK cytotoxicity is brought forward . It proposes the replacement of ordinary epithelial cells, which are killed during a proliferative and differentiative response of other cells at the onset of an infection course.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Aug, 80(1), 66 - 77
Inhibition of natural killer cell lysis by natural killer-inhibitory substance: mechanism of suppression; Lichtenstein A et al.; The mechanism of suppression of NK-mediated lysis by a soluble product of peritoneal cells (NK-IS, natural killer-inhibitory substance) was investigated . Pretreatment of effector cells resulted in depressed NK lysis while pretreatment of targets had no effect, indicating suppression is due to alterations in effector cell function rather than changes in target cells . NK-IS had no effect on the formation of conjugates between effectors and NK-susceptible targets . When NK-IS was added to effector-target cell mixtures after the binding step had been successfully completed, ensuing lysis was significantly depressed, confirming that NK-IS inhibited a postbinding lytic event . The degree of suppression caused by NK-IS was directly related to the duration of exposure to the inhibitory molecule . In addition, a preliminary temperature-dependent step of binding to and/or intracellular entry of NK-IS into effectors is required before suppression can occur . NK-IS prevents the activation of NK cell lysis by interferon and Corynebacterium parvum and effectively inhibits lysis mediated by already activated effectors . The potent suppression of NK lysis and prevention of interferon and C . parvum-mediated activation of NK lysis by a soluble product of peritoneal cells may explain the extremely low level of NK effector cell function within the peritoneal cavity.

J Immunol Methods, 1983 Jul 29, 61(3), 345 - 50
Investigation of effects of some immunoadjuvants and routes of antigen administration in raising antibodies in rabbits against metacestode cyst antigens of Taenia multiceps; Abo-Shehada MN et al.; The relative efficiency of depot (Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) and saponin), and non-depot (Corynebacterium parvum strain P . acnes I, C . parvum strain IMI585, and levamisole) immunoadjuvants were compared in raising agglutinating and precipitating antibodies against the metacestode fluid of Taenia multiceps of sheep origin (TMCF) . Haemagglutinating but not precipitating antibodies were detectable during the period of primary immunisation . Precipitating antibodies of higher titre were produced for longer when TMCF was injected with immunoadjuvant than when the same volume of TMCF was injected alone . Significantly (P less than 0.05) higher indirect haemagglutination (IHA) titres were produced during the primary response following C . parvum treatment than after FCA treatment . FCA treated rabbits showed significantly (P less than 0.05) higher IHA titres than those receiving C . parvum treatment on day 42 only, during the anamnestic response . Ulcers formed at the sites of injection of depot immunoadjuvants . Significantly (P less than 0.05) higher IHA titres were produced when FCA with TMCF was injected intradermally into 10-12 sites than when the same volume was injected into 4 sites . C . parvum strain IM1585 was a better immunoadjuvant in this system than the strain P . acnes I . The intravenous route of administration yielded better titres than the intraperitoneal route when C . parvum strain P . acnes I was used.

Am J Med, 1983 Jul 28, 75(1B), 2 - 6
Clinical microbiology of bacteremia: an overview; MacLowry JD; Newer methodologies for detecting bacteria in blood are more sensitive than conventional procedures . The possibility of contamination from a variety of sources is discussed . The problem of interpreting the findings of some of these techniques is forcing the microbiologist and clinician to reevaluate previously held ideas regarding isolates that are considered insignificant . The aggressive use of foreign bodies, whether of short duration such as central venous catheters or of long duration such as prosthetic heart valves, predisposes patients to a wide variety of infectious complications that are often associated with bacteremia . Staphylococcus epidermidis, Corynebacterium species (particularly group JK), Bacillus species, and S . aureus are discussed.

Nippon Geka Gakkai Zasshi, 1983 Jul, 84(7), 577 - 90
{The effects of surgical intervention and removal of the primary tumor, and the effectiveness of Corynebacterium parvum on metastatic tumor proliferation}; Hashimoto O; The effects of surgical intervention and removal of the primary tumor, and the effectiveness of Corynebacterium parvum (Cp) on the proliferation of metastatic tumor tissue were investigated by using autoradiography to follow post-operative changes in the 3H-thymidine labelling rate of metastatic tissue in an experimental model of metastasis in mice . In addition, the delayed hypersensitivity reaction and the cytotoxicity (ADCC, NK) of lung cells were studied, to investigate the immune capacity of the host . The effect of surgical intervention on the proliferation of metastatic tumor tissue was only transitory, while removal of the primary tumor caused the continuous proliferation of remnant foci . This indicated that the primary tumor controlled the metastatic proliferation . C . parvum is an effective immunomodulator ; hence, when given before removal of the primary focus, it inhibited the formation and the continuing proliferation of remnant metastatic foci, and maintained the immune capacity of the host.

Pediatrie, 1983 Jul-Aug, 38(5), 325 - 32
{Corynebacterium acnes osteitis . A case in a child}; Louis JJ et al.; The authors report a case of Corynebacterium acnes osteitis in an 11 year old girl, involving the upper of the right tibia . The lesion resembled a malignant tumour radiologically and tuberculosis histologically . Scintigraphy revealed involvement of the seventh right rib . 3 months treatment with Pristinamycin resulted in cure.

Vet Pathol, 1983 Jul, 20(4), 450 - 9
The pathology of experimental Corynebacterium equi infection in foals following intragastric challenge; Johnson JA et al.; The intragastric inoculation of a suspension of Corynebacterium equi on five consecutive days induced severe ulcerative colitis, typhlitis, and lymphadenitis of colonic and cecal nodes in two ponies necropsied three weeks after infection . No gross lesions were observed in two ponies necropsied ten days after infection . A single inoculum of equivalent size failed to induce gross lesions in four ponies killed at ten or 20 days after infection . Microscopic lesions consistent with early C . equi infection of Peyer's patches were seen in two of the ponies killed ten days after infection . Only one small pulmonary abscess occurred in one foal, suggesting that intestinal lesions are not likely the usual precursor of pulmonary disease in naturally infected foals . The gross and microscopic lesions in the experimentally infected ponies were typical of the intestinal form of naturally occurring C . equi associated disease in foals.

Vet Pathol, 1983 Jul, 20(4), 440 - 9
The pathology of experimental Corynebacterium equi infection in foals following intrabronchial challenge; Johnson JA et al.; Six foals were inoculated intrabronchially with a suspension of Corynebacterium equi . Six weeks before this challenge, three foals were vaccinated with a C . equi bacterin . Three foals were unvaccinated controls . All foals developed a severe bronchopneumonia in the inoculated lung, indicating that vaccination was not protective . Three foals (two vaccinated, one control) were killed eight to nine days after infection . One control died on day 9 with lesions of disseminated intravascular coagulation . The remaining two foals (one vaccinated, one control) were killed on day 17 . C . equi was cultured in large numbers from affected lung and bronchial lymph nodes, and in smaller numbers from unaffected lung, spleen, and liver in all foals . In the 8- to 9-day-old lung lesions, the alveoli were filled with macrophages, neutrophils, and multinucleate giant cells and most contained numerous C . equi . The few foci of alveolar necrosis were associated with groups of bacteria-laden macrophages undergoing degeneration . In the lesions of 17-day duration, there was extensive parenchymal destruction with little fibrous tissue reaction . Lesions common to both groups included hyperplastic bronchiolitis, pulmonary edema, and perivascular lymphocytic cuffs and a pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis in bronchial nodes . One vaccinated foal had a microscopic pyogranulomatous colitis . The lesions in the experimentally infected foals are compared with those in naturally infected foals and discussed in terms of likely pathogenetic mechanisms involved in C . equi pneumonia in foals.

Clin Exp Metastasis, 1983 Jul-Sep, 1(3), 289 - 95
The growth and spontaneous dissemination of melanoma B16 and Lewis lung tumour in two sub-strains of C57BL/6J mice treated with Corynebacterium parvum and/or levamisole; Boeryd B et al.; The effect of C . parvum and/or levamisole on tumour growth and spontaneous dissemination was tested in two tumour-host systems, melanoma B16 and LLT in C57BL/6J mice . C . parvum inhibited the growth of LLT and its dissemination to the lungs and the growth of B16 in females in one of the two sub-strains of mice used . Levamisole stimulated the growth of B16 in females in one sub-strain and in both sexes in the other sub-strain of mice . The growth of LLT was not influenced by levamisole but its dissemination to lymph nodes was facilitated . The growth-stimulating effect of levamisole was abrogated by C . parvum in the mice treated with both agents in combination . It is concluded that the effects of non-specific immunomodulators on tumour growth and spread can vary between sub-strains of the same inbred strain of mice bred at different laboratories.

Arch Sci Med (Torino), 1983 Jul-Sep, 140(3), 335 - 9
{Bacteriological findings in a group of students from designated health sector}; Compagnoni G et al.; The results of a pharyngeal swab bacteriological examination carried on all first-year primary schoolchildren in a local health area are presented . Beta-haemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus coagulase + and Corynebacterium diphteriae percentages are illustrated, together with observations of a prophylactic and curative nature.

Rev Infect Dis, 1983 Jul-Aug, 5(4), 649 - 56
Properties of microorganisms isolated from human leprosy lesions; Cocito C et al.; Diphtheroids, which in addition to Mycobacterium leprae are present in human leprosy lesions, were identified as true corynebacteria by DNA and cell wall analysis . Peptidoglycan (adjuvant) of these leprosy-derived corynebacteria (LDC) consists of N-acetylglycosaminyl-N-acetyl(glycolyl)-muramic acid and L-Ala-D-Glu(NH2)-(L)-meso-A2pm-(L)-D-Ala (A2pm = diaminopimelic acid) . (The amino group of the tetrapeptide is attached to the carboxyl group of the muramate) . Peripheral polysaccharide (antigen) is arabinogalactomannan with lateral chains of mannofuranose and arabinofuranose . To the latter are linked mycolic acids containing groups of isomers with 24-36 carbon atoms and containing between zero and four double bonds . DNAs of LDC isolates have a guanine + cytosine content of 56% and demonstrate a high degree of homology . LDC ribosomes cross-react with antisera against mycobacteria and with sera from patients with leprosy . Thermostable antigen M of LDC cross-reacts with the main antigens of tuberculin and lepromin . LDC thus represents a homogeneous and unique group of corynebacteria immunologically related to M . leprae . Leprosy might be the result of a pathogenic cooperation between both organisms, as suggested by the enhancement of M . leprae growth rate promoted in mice by living LDC.

Cornell Vet, 1983 Jul, 73(3), 288 - 97
Bovine rumenitis - liver abscess complex: a bacteriological review; Scanlan CM et al.; Fusobacterium necrophorum is considered to be a member of the normal rumen flora and is the primary etiologic agent of bovine liver abscesses . Of the three biotypes of F . necrophorum, A, B, and C, only biotypes A and B have been implicated in the disease . Type B is the predominant biotype isolated from ruminal lesions and type A is the predominate biotype isolated from liver abscesses . Type A is usually found in pure culture in the liver abscesses; whereas, type B is usually found in mixed culture with either type A or with other bacterial species . Corynebacterium pyogenes, Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., and Bacteroides spp . are the most prevalent bacteria recovered from mixed cultures . Corynebacterium pyogenes is the most common species isolated and can cause disease synergistically with type B isolates.

J Cell Physiol, 1983 Jul, 116(1), 21 - 5
The role of the mannose/N-acetylglucosamine receptor in the pinocytosis of horseradish peroxidase by mouse peritoneal macrophages; Sung SS et al.; Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan inhibits the pinocytosis of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by resident, thioglycollate-,proteose peptone-, and Corynebacterium parvum-elicited macrophages from 30 to 70% when 1 mg/ml HRP is used, and 65 to 87% when 250 micrograms/ml HRP is used . In contrast, HRP uptake by J774 cells, a macrophage cell line reported to have little mannose receptor activity, is inhibited only about 25% by mannan . HRP uptake by resident and thioglycollate-elicited (thio) macrophages is also inhibited 34 and 66% by addition of EGTA to the medium and 55 and 79% by trypsin treatment of the macrophages, respectively . The inhibitory effect of EGTA can be reversed by 1 mM excess Ca2+ . High extracellular concentrations of Ca2+, in the range of 10-20 mM, however, inhibit pinocytosis in resident macrophages by about 50% . Sucrose uptake by resident macrophages is not appreciably affected by mannan . These results support the hypothesis that HRP uptake is mediated by the macrophage mannose/N-acetylglucosamine receptor . PMA stimulates fluid-phase pinocytosis of HRP by thio macrophages but does not affect receptor-mediated uptake of HRP, while the combination of adenosine, homocysteine, and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) selectively inhibits bulk-phase uptake by thio macrophages.

Eur J Clin Microbiol, 1983 Jun, 2(3), 213 - 5
Fatal meningitis with group JK Corynebacterium in a leukopenic patient; Hoffmann S et al.; A case of fatal meningitis and septicemia with group JK Corynebacterium species in a leukopenic patient is reported . The strain was susceptible to rifampicin and vancomycin only . The finding of diphtheroids in bacteriological samples from immunocompromised patients should not be ignored . The literature regarding meningitis caused by diphtheroid bacilli is reviewed.

Am J Vet Res, 1983 Jun, 44(6), 1149 - 53
Relation of lipid content and exotoxin production to virulence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in mice; Muckle CA et al.; Twenty-five isolates of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis from lesions of caseous lymphadenitis in goats were examined for cell wall lipid content, exotoxin production, and virulence in mice . The mean percentage of lipid content was 6.52% and significant (P less than 0.005) differences were demonstrated between some isolates . Exotoxin in broth culture filtrates of the 25 isolates was measured by the staphylococcal beta-hemolysin inhibition (BHI) test and a radioassay for phospholipase D . All isolates were positive for exotoxin in both tests and 1 isolate had higher activity than the others . Because the correlation between the BHI test and radioassay was poor, it may be that the radioassay detects only enzymatically active exotoxin, whereas the BHI test detects active and inactive exotoxin . All isolates were virulent in mice at 2 dosage levels used to produce subacute-chronic and acute disease . Differences in virulence among isolates were detected only at the lower dosage level . There was a direct relationship between percentage of lipid and induction of chronic abscessation in mice, but not between lipid content and mortality . Although exotoxin production in vitro could not be related quantitatively to virulence, the results of inoculating mice with bacterial cells and broth culture supernatant were consistent with a role for exotoxin in disease.

Cell Immunol, 1983 Jun, 78(2), 314 - 25
Protection of mice against influenza virus infection: enhancement of nonspecific cellular responses by Corynebacterium parvum; Mak NK et al.; Groups of C57BL/6J, BALB/c, BALB/c, nu+/nu+ mice, inoculated intranasally with Corynebacterium parvum (350 micrograms/mouse) were protected from death by an otherwise lethal dose of influenza virus, A/WSN (H1N1) inoculated 3 days later . The lungs of C . parvum-treated, virus-infected C57BL/6J, BALB/c, or BALB/c nu+/nu+ mice contained significantly less infectious virus than did controls, and this reduction was apparent as soon as 24 hr after virus inoculation . The maximum protective effect correlated with increased lung interferon levels . C . parvum treatment caused an increase in the lung cell number which was in part due to a large increase (ca . 10-fold) in macrophage content, and the natural killer cell activity was also enhanced, though not as markedly as occurred 3 days after infection . Most (greater than 85%) of the resident macrophages in normal lungs were susceptible to infection by virus (as indicated by hemadsorption), whereas most of those recovered from the lungs of C . parvum-treated mice resisted infection . Despite the increase in macrophage content, the level of specific immune responses to infection, such as cytotoxic T-cell activity, DTH reaction, and antihemagglutinin antibody, remained unchanged by C . parvum treatment so that the major if not only effect of this treatment was on the level of the less-specific components of the immune system.

Br J Cancer, 1983 Jun, 47(6), 797 - 802
Enhanced Fc receptor expression by a sub-population of murine intra-tumour macrophages following intravenous Corynebacterium parvum therapy; Moore K et al.; Intravenous injection of Corynebacterium parvum (C . parvum) 4 days after s.c . inoculation of 5 X 10(5) cells derived from the immunogenic fibrosarcoma FSA/R induced tumour growth inhibition over a period of 21 days in syngeneic C3H/Buf mice . This was not accompanied by a change in the proportions of host cells within the tumour, but the activation state of tumour-infiltrating macrophages was increased following C . parvum therapy . Two macrophage subpopulations were identified in FSA/R tumours after fractionation by unit gravity velocity sedimentation . After i.v . C . parvum therapy the tumour-infiltrating macrophage subpopulation which sedimented between 1 and 6 mm h-1 was consistently activated as determined by measurement of Fc receptor avidity . Other intra-tumour macrophages were generally unaffected by C . parvum treatment . We have previously shown that the host cell fraction sedimenting between 1 and 6 mm h-1 is enriched with monocytes and the data presented in this paper suggest that these cells may enter the tumour in a pre-activated state following intravenous C . parvum therapy.

Biochem Int, 1983 Jun, 6(6), 737 - 42
Amino acid sequence around the covalently-bound flavin prosthetic group of Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase; Shiga Y et al.; A flavin peptide from Corynebacterium sarcosine oxidase was obtained by proteolytic digestion with trypsin and chymotrypsin, and purified by the method of Kenney et al . (1) . Amino acid analyses of the flavin peptide gave the following results: Asx(1), Ala(1), Val(1), and His(1) per flavin group . By carboxypeptidase A digestion and partial acid hydrolysis, the structure of the flavin peptide was determined as (Formula: see text).

Clin Rheumatol, 1983 Jun, 2(2), 163 - 8
Effect of corynebacterium parvum in the induction and course of mycoplasma arthritis of mice; Kaklamani E et al.; The effect of the immunostimulant C . parvum on the establishment and course of mycoplasma arthritis of mice was investigated . Male Swiss albino mice were injected intra-venously with M . arthritidis culture and intraperitoneally with C . parvum . It was shown that mice immunostimulated with C . parvum were significantly protected against the establishment of arthritis if the mycoplasma was given 9 days after the immunostimulant . However, when the arthritis was established C . parvum had no effect on the course of the arthritis . A close association between mycoplasma arthritidis and synovial cells in proposed as a possible explanation of this observation.

Liver, 1983 Jun, 3(3), 151 - 60
The influence of endotoxin in vitro on hepatic macrophage lysosomal enzyme release in different rat models of hepatic injury; Tanner AR et al.; Since bacterial endotoxin is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatic injury, the influence of endotoxin on lysosomal enzyme production by hepatic macrophages has been investigated . Macrophages have been isolated from the livers of normal rats, from the livers of rats given stilboestrol subcutaneously 4 days previously and from the livers of rats given Corynebacterium parvum intravenously 6 days previously . Following isolation and overnight culture, the macrophages have been maintained in in vitro culture for a further 24 h and the production of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) has been measured . Histological assessment has shown that in stilboestrol model an approximate doubling of sinusoidal cell numbers occurs and in the C . parvum model a heavy mononuclear cell infiltrate is present, together with granuloma formation . These changes are reflected in the numbers of macrophages isolated from the respective models . Levels of NAG production by resident macrophages from normal livers are low (0.25 +/- 0.05 nmol substrate hydrolysed/microgram cell protein/h) and unchanged following endotoxin exposure (0.25 +/- 0.05 units) . Macrophages isolated from the stilboestrol model show levels of NAG production similar to normal (0.34 +/- 0.06 units), but this increases significantly following exposure to endotoxin (0.42 +/- 0.07 units) . Macrophages from the C . parvum model demonstrate markedly enhanced production (0.61 +/- 0.09 units), but this does not increase significantly following endotoxin exposure (0.65 +/- 0.09 units) . In contrast to macrophages from normal rat livers, macrophages recently recruited in the stilboestrol model demonstrate enhanced lysosomal enzyme production following endotoxin exposure . It is suggested that endotoxin, as well as other mediators of macrophage activation, may promote hepatic damage through this influence on newly recruited macrophages.

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