Cross-reactivity of Mycobacterium leprae and M. tuberculosis and the implications for assessment of in vitro T cell function in leprosy patients.
The cross-reactivity in vitro between Mycobacterium leprae and M. tuberculosis was studied in 41 Aboriginal Australians with leprosy, 78 uninfected contacts of leprosy patients and 38 control individuals. A vigorous T cell response to epitopes cross-reactive between these two mycobacteria was found for healthy uninfected contacts or non-contacts (controls) of leprosy patients, but not for the patients themselves. The data suggest that a vaccine based on antigen shared between M. leprae and other mycobacteria is unlikely to be useful in preventing leprosy. Further studies of responses in vitro to purified T cell-reactive antigens would be useful in designing newer vaccines for more widespread field studies of leprosy prevention.
Rawlinson
W D
WD
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia.
Basten
A
A
D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
D000939:Epitopes