An improved method of isolating Pneumocystis carinii from infected rat lungs

Abstract

A new method of isolating Pneumocystis carinii from infected lungs of cortisonized rats is described. Clumping of parasites and host lung material was diminished by suspension of macerated Pneumocystis-laden rat lung in a modified calcium, magnesium-free Hanks' balanced salts solution at physiologic pH and osmolality, containing the wetting agent G-acid. After washing, this material was suspended in a second buffer system for digestion. The digestion step was done in the same buffer but with the addition of calcium, magnesium, collagenase, hyaluronidase and deoxyribonuclease. These innovations allowed enumeration of trophozoites as well as cysts. Following digestion, the parasites were separated from particulate host lung debris by Percoll density gradients designed to pellet the debris, leaving parasites in the gradient. Density studies done prior to this step revealed that trophozoites and non-nucleated cysts had similar densities, 1.028 g/ml, whereas nucleated cysts were heavier at 1.030 g/ml. Particulate host lung debris could be removed due to its heavier density, 1.040 g/ml. The significance of this study includes: relatively clump-free suspensions of infected rat lung, enumeration of trophozoites as well as cysts, and characterization of nucleated cysts.