The effect of Bcg gene on antigen presentation of spleen adherent cells and peritoneal macrophages from Mycobacterium bovis BCG-infected Bcg(s) and Bcg(r) mice.

To determine the role of the Bcg gene in the resistance and susceptibility of BCG-infected C57BL/6 (Bcg(s)) and its Bcg(r) congenic mice, the antigen presenting ability of spleen adherent cells and peritoneal macrophages, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and lymphocyte blastogenic responses were investigated. The results obtained indicate that the DTH and lymphocyte blastogenic responses in Bcg(r) congenic mice were higher than in the Bcg(s) mice. Stimulation of spleen adherent cells with live Mycobacterium bovis BCG or PPD-BCG resulted in a higher antigen presenting ability in Bcg(r) than in Bcg(s) mice. However, comparatively low responses were associated with M. avium stimulation, with those in Bcg(r) being higher than in Bcg(s). I-A expression was also comparatively higher in Bcg(r) than in Bcg(s) mice. This study demonstrates that the Bcg gene seems to exhibit some effect on the antigen presenting ability of macrophages in immune responses of the congenic mice.