title: Specificity of a protective memory immune response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
abstract: We have investigated the memory T-cell immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. C57BL/6J mice infected with M. tuberculosis were found to generate long-lived memory immunity which provided a heightened state of acquired resistance to a secondary infection. The T-cell response of memory immune mice was directed to all parts of the bacilli, i.e., both secreted and somatic proteins. Major parts of the memory T-cell repertoire were maintained in a highly responsive state by cross-reactive restimulation with antigens present in the normal microbiological environment of the animals. A resting non-cross-reactive part of the memory repertoire was restimulated early during a secondary infection to expand and produce large amounts of gamma interferon. The molecular target of these T cells was identified as a secreted mycobacterial protein with a molecular mass of 3 to 9 kDa.
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Vaccine Department, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen S, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003429:Cross Reactions; D005260:Female; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*