M. tuberculosis-complex specific T-cell stimulation and DTH reactions induced with a peptide from the 38-kDa protein.
An immunodominant T-cell-stimulatory epitope located near the carboxy terminus of the 38-kDa antigen from M. tuberculosis (38.G, residues 350-369) was found to be M. tuberculosis-complex specific. This was demonstrated by the presence of proliferative and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in mice immunized with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG, whereas mice immunized with M. avium or other non-tuberculous species of mycobacteria showed no such responses. Peptide 38.G stimulated the proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy purified protein derivative (PPD)-positive individuals but not from PPD-negative individuals. It also elicited DTH responses in M. tuberculosis sensitized mice and in PPD-positive healthy human volunteers. Peptide 38.G could therefore prove to be an important component in any new molecularly defined reagent used in the immunodiagnosis of tuberculous infection.
Vordermeier
H M
HM
MRC Tuberculosis and Related Infections Unit, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Harris
D P
DP
Mehrotra
P K
PK
Roman
E
E
Elsaghier
A
A
Moreno
C
C
Ivanyi
J
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009162:Mycobacterium avium / Q000276:immunology; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests; D013045:Species Specificity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D010455:Peptides