[Effect of Mycobacterium smegmatis vaccine on the level of nitric oxide produced by peritoneal macrophages in mice].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Mycobacterium smegmatis vaccine on the level of nitric oxide (NO) produced by peritoneal macrophages in immunized mice. METHODS: Balb/c mice were randomized into low-dose, middle-dose, and high-dose groups (injected with different doses of Mycobacterium smegmatis vaccine) and a control group (injected with normal saline). Then the peritoneal macrophages were cultured with lipopolysaccharide in vitro. The supernatants were collected and the concentrations of NO were analyzed through the reaction with Griess reagents. RESULTS: The levels of NO produced by the peritoneal macrophages in the control group, low-dose group, middle-dose group, and high-dose group were (3.50 +/- 3.11), (16.63 +/- 6.47), (13.97 +/- 6.20), and (7.55 +/- 2.26) ng/ml, respectively. The levels of NO in all dosing groups were significantly different from that in control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Mycobacterium smegmatis vaccine can promote the peritoneal macrophages to produce NO in mice.