Suppressor cell induction and reticuloendothelial cells activation produced in the mouse by beta 1-3 glucan.

We made a sequential study of the proliferative and functional changes occurring in RE cells after beta 1-3 glucan administration in BDF1, and C57BL mouse. beta 1-3 glucan was administered by single i.v. 50 mg/kg or i.p. 15 mg/kg injection. This successively induced changes in RE cells as follows: on day 3 a rise of acid phosphatase activity in peritoneal macrophages; on day 6 an increase of 3H-TdR incorporation in spleen and peritoneal lymphocytes together with an intense suppression of PHA and LPS responses by spleen cells; on day 10 a 5-fold increase of the percentage of peroxidase rich monocytes in the peritoneum. Thereafter all the values went back to or below control. Our results indicate that beta 1-3 glucan is an in vivo mitogen and a macrophage activator.