Effect of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv grown in vivo (LH37Rv) on Ehrlich Carcinoma Ascites Cells

Abstract

PREVIOUS reports from this laboratory have shown that cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv separated from lungs of mice infected with this strain are coated with nicotinamide adenine nucleosidase (NADase) of the host¹. Discussing the possible role of NADase adsorbed by the tubercle bacilli in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis, we have assumed that, on phagocytosis of tubercle bacilli, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide splitting enzyme may impair the electron transport system of the phagocyte, thus bringing about the death of the latter². It should be recalled that a similar hypothesis was propounded by Bernheimer et al.³, who found a remarkable correlation between the capacity of streptococci to produce extracellular NADase and leukotoxicity. The authors suggested that the leukotoxicity might well be due to the destruction of NAD of the phagocytizing cell by streptococcal NADase. Since there is an indication in the literature that Ehrlich carcinoma ascites cells are capable of phagocytosis⁴, it seemed of interest to examine the effect of tubercle bacilli grown in vivo, coated with NADase, on Ehrlich carcinoma ascites cells and to compare it with that of the tubercle bacilli grown in vitro. This communication is a preliminary report of these investigations.