STIMULATION OF ENTEROCYTE ENZYMATIC-ACTIVITIES, MHC CLASS-II EXPRESSION AND OTHER IMMUNOLOGICAL FACTORS AFTER ORAL TREATMENT WITH NOCARDIA DELIPIDATED CELL MITOGEN IN GERM-FREE RATS

Nocardia delipidated cell mitogen (NDCM) was given intragastrically (2 00 mu g/animal) to 2-month-old germ-free (GF) and conventionally (CV) reared AVN rats. On day 4, enzymatic activities of enterocyte brush bo rder membrane vesicles (BBMV) isolated from jejunal scraping were meas ured. The results indicated that activities of sucrase, lactase and gl ucoamylase in BBMV were stimulated following NDCM treatment. The most pronounced increase of enzymatic activities was found in GF rats. In c ontrast to CV rats, GF rats do not express MHC class II on epithelial cells during their life. NDCM treatment induced MI-IC class II express ion in enterocytes from GF rats. The levels of IgA and IBG in sera fro m NDCM-treated CV rats did not change significantly. The level of IgG in sera of GF rats was found to be enhanced after NDCM treatment. Mark edly increased incorporation of H-3-thymidine by spleen lymphocytes st imulated with Con A in vitro was observed only in NDCM-treated GF rats . H-3-uridine incorporation into Con A-stimulated lymphocytes of GF ra ts was decreased after NDCM treatment.