title: Increased numbers of ESAT-6- and purified protein derivative-specific gamma interferon-producing cells in subclinical and active tuberculosis infection.
abstract: Numbers of gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing cells reactive to ESAT-6 antigen were increased in recent converters to purified protein derivative positivity and in tuberculosis patients but not in unvaccinated or Mycobacterium bovis BCG-vaccinated healthy donors. ESAT-6-reactive IFN-gamma-producing cells in recent converters and tuberculosis patients recognized similar synthetic peptides. Thus, ESAT-6 is a potential candidate for use in detection of early, as well as active, tuberculosis and for control of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ulrichs
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anding
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Porcelli
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Munk
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C093276:ESAT-6 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D014373:Tuberculin; D007371:Interferon-gamma