The fate of bacteria within phagocytic cells. II. The modification of intracellular degradation.

The influence of immune serum, PMN leucocytes, and macrophages from immunized animals and metabolic inhibitors on the intraphagocytic degradation of isotopically labeled bacteria has been evaluated. Immune serum specifically delayed the degradation of a variety of P(32)- and C(14)-labeled organisms within both types of phagocytic cells. The active principle in immune serum was found to be a globulin which could be removed by adsorption with the homologous organism. The inhibiting action of immune serum was thought to be related to its combination with the bacterial surface and the subsequent temporary protection of the bacteria from leucocyte enzymes. PMN leucocytes and macrophages obtained from immune hosts did not differ from normal cells in their ability to degrade homologous, labeled bacteria. Immune serum had the same inhibiting influence in the presence of "immune" cells as with cells from non-immunized hosts. Iodoacetate, arsenite, and cyanide at concentrations which inhibited the glycolysis and respiration of both PMN leucocytes and macrophages had no influence on the rate of degradation of isotopically labeled bacteria engulfed by these cells. This implied that following the initial phagocytic events, the degradation of bacteria within leucocytes is not dependent upon the major pathways of energy metabolism.