Isolation of mitogenic and adjuvant active fractions from various species of Nocardiae

Delipidated lysozyme digests of Nocardia opaca, N. corallina, and N. rubra have been fractionated by Sephadex filtration. The mitogenic and adjuvant activities of the fractions thus obtained have been investigated. All fractions are mitogenic except the last fraction of N.rubra, but the N. opaca products induce a stronger stimulation of mouse spleen lymphocytes than the corresponding fractions of the two other species. The activity of the first Sephadex fractions of each strain has been compared to other mitogens (concanavalin A, lipopolysaccharide). All fractions are adjuvant, although one of them, the last Sephadex fraction of N. rubra, does not contain peptidoglycan; its activity must thus be attributed to another kind of molecule. Fractionation of the first Sephadex fraction of N. opaca by centrifugation in glacial acetic acid led to a separation of adjuvant and mitogenic activities.