Interactions of Acholeplasma laidlawii cells with mouse spleen lymphocytes.

Interaction between Acholeplasma laidlawii cells labelled with oleic acid and mouse spleen lymphocytes depended on the time of incubation, on the temperature and on the quantitative ratio between both cells. Uncouplers and EDTA did not influence the intensity of attachment. The resistance of binding to cytochalasin B amd glutaraldehyde as well as localization of A. laidlawii antigens on the lymphocyte surface and experiments with [14C] uridine-labelled mycoplasmas are an evidence against the participation of pinocytosis in this interaction. Prolonged attachment of intact A. laidlawii to washed lymphocytes can be excluded on the basis of an extremely low amount of CFU recovered from disrupted lymphocytes as well as by experiments with uridine-labelled A laidlawii. Specific receptors didn't take part in the binding, because proteolytic enzymes and neuraminidase treatment proved to be nonefficient. Increased binding of lymphocytes with liposomes prepared from mycoplasma lipids as well as the transfer of cholesterol from lymphocyte membrane to mycoplasma membrane demonstrate the participation of membrane lipids in this binding. It should also be mentioned that after the attachment between both cell types and fusion of A. laidlawii cells with lymphocytes takes place. The transfer of unsaturated fatty acids from mycoplasmas into lymphocyte membrane as well as lymphocyte membrane cholesterol into mycoplasma membranes are the consequence of fusion between both cells. The experiments with uncharged hydrophobic fluorescent probe 4-DMC are the direct proof of fusion and mutual exchange of lipid membrane components.