LPS-induced enhancement of plaque-forming cell response to bromelain-treated syngeneic erythrocytes in mouse peritoneal cell cultures.

The effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the development of plaque-forming cells (PFC) against bromelain-treated syngeneic mouse red blood cells (Br-MRBC) was studied in peritoneal cell (PC) cultures. It was found that LPS enhances the development of PFC to Br-MRBC and increases DNA synthesis in PC cultures. The LPS-induced enhancement of PFC to Br-MRBC, however, does not appear to require cell proliferation, since it also occurred in PC cultures pretreated with mitomycin C. In addition, the LPS-induced B lymphocytes blastogenesis is under the control of macrophages, while cell differentiation of precursor B lymphocytes into cells actively producing antibodies against Br-MRBC is regulated by suppressor T lymphocytes.