In vitro bactericidal and associated metabolic activities of mouse spleen cells.

Spleen cell suspensions from AKR and CD-1 mice are able to kill Escherichia coli in vitro. The optimal ratio of splenocytes to bacteria for this activity is 1: 1. Incubation of these cells with inert polystyrene latex spherules (0.81 mum diameter) results in a fourfold increase in glucose-1-(14)C oxidation. Under these conditions, there is also a 2.5-fold increase in both reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity and formate oxidation. Spleen cell fractions have been shown to have significant peroxidase activity. This has been quantitated by the guaiacol oxidation method. The 20,000 x g pellet fraction of spleen cell homogenate can kill E. coli when H(2)O(2) and chloride ions are added and the reaction is carried out at pH 5.5 and 37 C.