MITOGENIC ACTIVITY OF WHOLE CELLS AND CELL-WALL COMPONENTS OF LACTOBACILLUS-ACIDOPHILUS GROUP LACTIC-ACID BACTERIA ON MURINE SPLEEN AND PEYERS PATCH CELLS

The mitogenic activities of the whole cells of the 40 strains of Lacto bacillus acidophilus group lactic acid bacteria and the cell wall comp onents from selected strains were evaluated by using murine spleen and Peyer's patch cells. The whole cells of many of the strains showed a high mitogenic response. The cell wall of L. gasseri LA158 was a B-Cel l mitogen. Acidic polysaccharide (APS) and peptidoglycan (PG) isolated from the cell wall of LA158 showed strong mitogenic activity in both cells. No teichoic acids were found in the cell wall of this strain. B oth, neutral polysaccharide (NPS) and acidic polysaccharide (APS) cons isted of D-glucose (glucan), and the latter contained 1.0% (w/w) phosp horus. The stimulation activity on lymphocytes shown by the whole cell s of LA158 was thought to be induced by APS and PG.