An Analysis of Mitogenic Response of Phosphopolysaccharide, a B-cell Mitogen Produced by Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris, to Spleen Cells

The character of a phosphopolysaccharide (S-2) produced by Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris KVS 20, participating in the mitogenic response of murine spleen cells (W cells), was investigated. When adherent cells (Ad cells) were removed from W cells, non-adherent spleen cells (NAd cells) partially reduced the mitogenic response to S-2. The supernatants from Ad cells which were stimulated with S-2 induced a slight increase in mitogenic activity. The induced activity of the supernatants was much less than the reduced activity to NAd cells. When S-2 was mixed with nylon wool adherent cells which were killed with glutaraldehyde fixation, the cell-free solution from the mixture did not show mitogenic activity to W cells. The indicates that, in the induction of mitogenic activity in W cells, S-2 requires Ad cells as accessory cells, and it also is able to act directly as a B-cell mitogen. Anim. Sci. Technol. (Jpn.) 64 (8): 807-812, 1993