Relationships between adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic activities of staphylococcal peptidoglycan.

Staphylococcal peptidoglycan (PG) possesses in vivo immunodulating activity and is a B-cell mitogen in mice. The effect of PG on in vitro immune response of mouse splenocytes to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) was studied, as well as the relationships between in vivo and in vitro adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic activities of PG in terms of dose response, time kinetics, and physical state. Particulate PG suppressed in vivo anti-SRBC response when injected in a large dose before or simultaneously with SRBC. A small dose of particulate PG given before or along with the antigen was immunostimulatory. Soluble PG was adjuvant active in both high and low doses when injected before or along with the antigen. Both PG preparations were adjuvant active for mouse splenocytes in vitro immunized with SRBC, but particulate PG was more active. Even high doses of particulate PG were not directly suppressive for the in vitro immune response. Particulate PG was also mitogenic for mouse splenocytes, and the maximum increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation was observed after 2 days of culture. Soluble PG was not mitogenic during the 5-day incubation period. These results indicate that the physical state of PG, its dose, and its time of application are important factors determining its immunomodulating and mitogenic activities, and that by changing them it is possible to dissociate the adjuvant, immunosuppressive, and mitogenic properties of PG.