Growth factors and inhibitors for Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae in the supernatants of mouse trachea and lung homogenates

Abstract

We examined supernatants of mouse trachea and lung homogenates for the effects on the growth of H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae and obtained the following results:
H. influenzae grew in nutrient broth containing supernatant of mouse trachea homogenate and the same medium containing X and V factors; however, it didn't grow in the same medium containing supernatant of mouse lung homogenate or the mouse trachea homogenate treated with NADase. S. pneumoniae grew in nutrient broth containing either supernatant of mouse lung homogenate or V factor; however, it failed to grow in the same medium containing supernatant of the mouse trachea homogenate, X and V factors, X factor and supernatant of mouse lung homogenate, or supernatant of lung homogenate treated with NADase.
Supernatant of mouse trachea homogenate may contain both X and V factors necessary for stimulating the growth of H. influenzae. The presence of X factor in it was the cause of inhibition of the growth of S. pneumoniae.
Supernatant of mouse lung homogenate contained V factor, stimulating the growth of S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae, but not X factor. Some protain inhibiting the growth of H. influenzae may be present in supernatant of lung homogenate.