Antimicrobial resistance enhancing activity of tumor necrosis serum factor induced by endotoxin in BCG-treated mice.

Serum from BCG-infected mice that receive a lethal dose of LPS induces necrosis of a variety of transplanted mouse tumors. This serum (TNS) was shown to protect mice against two types of infectious challenges, Klebsiella and Listeria organisms. The antimicrobial activity was also demonstrated in adult C3H/He mice and in newborn mice, which are known to be refractory to the LPS-mediated increase in nonspecific resistance to infections.