Effect of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton on humoral and cellular factors related to immune response in mice and guinea pigs.

The in vitro and in vivo effects of Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) on induction of serum ceruloplasmin, hemopexin, haptoglobin, complement and interferon in mice and guinea pigs are described. After intraperitoneal administration of N-CWS to mice, serum hemopexin increased markedly and also induced an increase of haptoglobin, but not of ceruloplasmin. The drug activated complement in vitro but did not affect serum complement level in guinea pigs. Intravenous N-CWS induced serum interferon in mice, although there were strain differences. Addition of N-CWS to mouse spleen cell culture also induced interferon. Intraperitoneal N-CWS increased peritoneal cells in mice: in particular polymorphonuclear leukocytes increased soon after dosing, followed by macrophages and lymphocytes. However, the drug did not affect peripheral leukocyte counts or alter peripheral cell population.