MTSA-10, the product of the Rv3874 gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, elicits tuberculosis-specific, delayed-type hypersensitivity in guinea pigs.
In a search for new skin test reagents specific for tuberculosis, we found that the antigen encoded by gene Rv3874 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis elicited delayed-type hypersensitivity in M. tuberculosis-infected guinea pigs but not in control animals immunized with Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or Mycobacterium avium. The antigen, which was named MTSA-10 (for M. tuberculosis-specific antigen 10), is a prime candidate for a component of a new tuberculin that will allow discrimination by a skin test of latent M. tuberculosis infection from vaccination with BCG or from sensitization with environmental, nontuberculous mycobacteria.
Colangeli
R
R
Public Health Research Institute, New York, New York 10016, USA.
Spencer
J S
JS
Bifani
P
P
Williams
A
A
Lyashchenko
K
K
Keen
M A
MA
Hill
P J
PJ
Belisle
J
J
Gennaro
M L
ML
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000209:etiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014374:Tuberculin Test
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine