Induction of splenomegaly in mice by killed Coxiella burnetii cells.

Splenomegaly induced in mice inoculated intraperitoneally (i.p.) with purified formalin-killed phase I and phase II Coxiella burnetii (C.b.) cells was dose-dependent. The phase I cells induced higher splenomegaly than phase II cells. The splenomegaly-inducing ability of phase I cells was reduced upon incubation with phase I but not with phase II antiserum, whereas the phase II cells preincubated with phase I or phase II immune sera induced higher splenomegaly than the phase II cells alone. Phase I cells caused lower splenomegaly in mice previously immunized with C.b. The splenomegaly-inducing ability of phase I cells was abolished by mild acid hydrolysis, by treatment either with phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether (PCP) or with a chloroform-methanol (CM) mixture. However, either the CM or the PCP-treated phase I cells retained their capacity to protect mice challenged with virulent phase I C.b.