Inabilities as an immunoadjuvant of cell walls of the group B peptidoglycan types and those of arthrobacters

Abstract

The cell walls from several bacterial species whose peptidoglycans are the group B types (Schleifer and Kandler) and those of two arthrobacters were shown to be inactive or only weakly active as an immunoadjuvant in both induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and stimulation of circulating antibody levels to ovalbumin when administered to guinea pigs as a water-in-oil emulsion, in sharp contrast to the adjuvant-active cell walls of the group A peptidoglycan types which were previously studied. The possible reason for the inabilities as an adjuvant of these cell walls was discussed in relation to the chemical structures of peptidoglycans.