Arsenic in the sera of gallium arsenide-exposed mice inhibits bacterial growth and increases host resistance.

The objective of the present investigations was to evaluate whether the presence of gallium arsenide (GaAs) in the sera of exposed mice was sufficient to retard bacterial growth. Host resistance studies demonstrated that exposure of GaAs (50-200 mg/kg) produced an increased resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae and Listeria monocytogenes (50-100 mg/kg GaAs) when microbial challenge occurred 24 hr after exposure. In contrast, exposed mice exhibited a profound and dose-related decrease in resistance to the B16F10 melanoma. Serial dilutions of GaAs (0.039-5 mg/ml) were added to BHI broth and cultures were innoculated with either S. pneumoniae or L. monocytogenes. GaAs slowed the growth of both organisms with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.625 mg/ml. Sera from mice euthanized at various time intervals after exposure to vehicle (0.05% Tween 80 in saline) or GaAs (200 mg/kg) was also capable of retarding the growth of both organisms with the maximal inhibition noted for euthanization 24 hr after exposure. However, sera from GaAs-exposed mice (24 hr after exposure) was incapable of slowing the growth of the B16F10 melanoma. Addition of the arsenic-binding compound meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (100 microM) to sera from mice exposed to GaAs followed by innoculation with L. monocytogenes resulted in growth of this organism, which was comparable to growth observed in vehicle cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)