The effect of bacterial and fungal phospholipids on immune response to sheep erythrocytes and E. coli lipopolysaccharide.

The effect of phospholipids extracted from some bacteria and fungi on the response of mice to sheep erythrocytes and E. coli lipopolysaccharide has been studied. The phospholipids from Staphylococcus aureus. Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus fumigatus augmented the humoral immune response to both antigens studied. The phospholipids from Asp. fumigatus, Str. faecalis and Candida albicans stimulated mouse B lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. On the other hand, none of the phospholipids studied could aid ovalbumin to induce delayed hypersensitivity in guinea pigs, and all phospholipids were not mitogenic for mouse T lymphocytes. Phospholipids from Cryptococcus neoformans and Penicillium notatum were without adjuvant activity, and those from C. albicans suppressed the response to sheep erythrocytes.