Abstract
The cellular responses to phosphatides and the so-called waxes isolated by Anderson 1 from acid-fast bacilli have been studied by Sabin and Doan, 2 Sabin, Doan and Forkner, 3 and by Smithburn and Sabin. 4 Anderson 1 has separated from the bacilli a third lipoidal component which is soluble in acetone and which is recovered as a soft brown, salve-like solid with an odor not unlike that which arises from cultures of tubercle bacilli. This substance was shown 2 to consist largely of a mixture of fatty acids. The cellular responses induced by this acetone-soluble lipoid will be discussed in the present communication.
Rabbits were used in the experiments. The lipoids employed were isolated from human, bovine, and avian tubercle bacilli, and the timothy grass bacillus and were injected intraperitoneally. The acetone-soluble lipoid is not miscible with water and was therefore suspended in mineral oil for administration in the first experiments. Later it was made neutral to litmus with N/10 NaOH and suspended in water for injection. The material was also given undiluted. Cellular studies were made of the fresh tissues by the supravital and by the fixed tissue methods.
The acetone-soluble fat was found to be the most irritating of the crude lipoids from acid-fast bacteria. It induced extreme vascular dilatation, proliferation, and hemorrhages. It is the only substance from tubercle bacilli yet tested in this laboratory which has produced massive adhesions. Perhaps due to the content of phthioic acid. 1 , 3 it induced the formation of epithelioid cells in considerable numbers.
In subsequent experiments the acetone-soluble fat was made neutral to litmas with N/10 NaOH and suspended in water for injection. The procedure brought about a marked reduction in the irritating properties of the lipoid.
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