The effect of an acute inflammatory process on the resistance to infections in mice

In 1975 we demonstrated that exudate from acute non-immunological inflammatory reaction could induce DNA synthesis in macrophages in culture1–3. Recently we have shown that during various acute inflammatory processes, macrophages are stimulated and become able to inhibit, in vitro, tumour cell proliferation9. On the other hand, we have shown that acute inflammatory sera are able to modify some cellular functions, in particular: (1) The induction of both DNA synthesis and mitosis in peritoneal macrophages in culture8. (2) The inhibition of polymorphonuclear Chemotaxis11. (3) The induction of spontaneous DNA synthesis in spleen cells and the modulating response of these cells to PHA7.