Effect of culture supernatants of mouse splenic lymphocytes on the growth of M. lepraemurium in mouse peritoneal macrophages.

Splenic lymphocytes were collected from BCG-vaccinated ddY mice and cultured with or without the antigen. Thus obtained supernatants were tested by tissue culture techniques. Normal mouse peritoneal macrophages were infected with M. lepraemurium in vitro and the effects of MycolF (mycobacterial growth inhibiting factor) in these supernatants on the growth of the bacilli were examined. The multiplications of the bacilli were suppressed in the media added with culture supernatants of splenic lymphocytes from immunized animals, especially the one cultured with antigen for 48 hr.