Abstract
A cell wall extract from Actinomyces viscosus (AVIS) induces blastogenesis in a large proportion of lymphocytes from non-immunized rabbits. The response appears to be a polyclonal B cell response, since purified T cells are unresponsive, whereas B cell-enriched cultures exhibit 3-fold higher DNA synthesis than conventional splenocyte cultures. Furthermore, AVIS triggers immunoglobulin synthesis and plasma cell formation in vitro. The rabbit response is similar to that of the mouse, and we suggest that non-specific polyclonal B cell responsiveness to Actinomyces bacteria may be an important host defense mechanism common to these, and probably other, mammalian species.
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