Mitogenic response of C3H/HeJ mouse lymphocytes to polyanionic polysaccharides obtained from Bordetella pertussis endotoxin and from other bacterial species.

Lipopolysaccharide extracted from Bordetella pertussis was mitogenic for spleen cells of endotoxin-resistant C3H/HeJ mice. Although endotoxic lipid A was inactive, mitogenic activity of lipopolysaccharide was exhibited by purified preparations of polysaccharides I and II, which constitute the carbohydrate moiety of the macromolecule. These low-molecular-weight (2,800 and 3,600) polysaccharides, containing carboxyl groups, were not mitogenic for thymocytes and splenic T-cells of C3H/HeJ mice, but did show mitogenic activity for splenic B-cells of C3H/HeJ mice and for spleen cells of C57BL/6 athymic nude mice. The mitogenic activities of polysaccharides I and II were also compared with those of other polyanionic polysaccharides, and the results indicate that high molecular weight is not necessary, and negative charges are not sufficient, for mitogenicity.