Serologically active glycolipid families from Mycobacterium bovis BCG. I. Extraction, purification and immunologic studies.

Glycolipids were extracted from mycobacteria with methanol and chloroform and purified by silicic acid chromatography. These glycolipids were studied for their serologic activity by direct and indirect (Coomb's) passive hemagglutination, and by inhibition methods. Three families of serologically active glycolipids called A, B and C, plus cardiolipin, were isolated. The B and C families of glycolipids were reactive with sera from BCG immunized rabbits and also with sera from patients with tuberculosis and leprosy; the A family was reactive only with the human sera. None of the serologically active glycolipids was able to protect rabbits against tuberculosis.