[Macrophage activation by blastolysin]

Blastolysin consisting largely of glycopeptide fragments of cell walls from Lactobacillus bulgaricus has a significant antineoplastic activity against a number of transplanted and spontaneous animal tumours. Blastolysin exerts a pronounced adjuvant action and activates the cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system. This is shown by stimulation of phagocytosis and digestion as well as by acquired ability of macrophages to elicit a cytotoxic action on allogeneic and syngeneic target cells (labelled with radioactive chromium) with abnormal growth. Administration of blastolysin or BCG was demonstrated to lead to variations in the time course of macrophage acquired cytotoxicity. Macrophage activation induced by blastolysin has a clearly pronounced two-phasic nature. During the first short phase the cytotoxicity is seen 2 hours following blastolysin administration, rapidly disappears and emerges after 2 weeks, remaining unchanged up to the 5th week (experimental period).