Metabolism of Mycobacterium leprae in macrophages.

The incorporation of 14C-labeled palmitic acid ( [U-14C]PA) into the phenolic glycolipid-I (PGL-I) fraction of Mycobacterium leprae was studied in a murine macrophage system in vitro. Peritoneal macrophages from Swiss Webster mice were infected with fresh viable or Formalin-killed M. leprae harvested from infected footpads of nu/nu mice, and [U-14C]PA was added to the culture medium. Labeled glycolipid synthesized by live M. leprae was fractionated on a Florisil-silicic acid column and identified as PGL-I by using thin-layer chromatography and localization on a polysulfone membrane with an anti-PGL-I monoclonal antibody. Increased incorporation of [U-14C]PA into the PGL-I fraction was observed in macrophages infected with only live M. leprae. Treatment of the infected macrophages with rifampin caused a significant reduction in the incorporation of palmitic acid into PGL-I. These preliminary studies suggest that PGL-I synthesis can be used to quantitate the metabolism of M. leprae in macrophages in vitro.