Correlation between LPS-induced mitogenic and virogenic activities in mouse spleen cell cultures.

The present study provides direct evidence for a correlation between mitogenicity and induction of type C particles (virogenic activity) in cultures stimulated by LPS. This evidence is based on the following observations: 1) The complex of the antibiotic polymyxin B with LPS (LPS-PB) inhibits mitogenicity and virogenic activity in spleen cell cultures from BALB/c mice, but does not inhibit the generation of colony stimulating factor (CSF) from such cultures; 2) CBA/N, a genetically-defective mouse strain in its mitogenic response to LPS, was also defective in virus induction by LPS, but generated high levels of LPS-induced CSF.