Human T cell responses to peptides of the Mycobacterium leprae 45-kD serine-rich antigen.
In order to identify T cell epitopes within the Mycobacterium leprae 45-kD serine-rich antigen, we analysed responses to overlapping 17-mer peptides encompassing the whole antigen in non-exposed UK controls, Pakistani leprosy patients and tuberculosis patients in both the United Kingdom and Pakistan. This antigen has been described as M. leprae-specific, although it has a hypothetical homologue in M. tuberculosis. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with peptide for 5 days and IFN-gamma measured in supernatants by ELISA. Some peptides were recognized more frequently by T cells from tuberculoid leprosy patients than those from UK controls, suggesting that such T cell epitopes might have diagnostic potential, while other peptides induced greater responses among UK control subjects. Short-term cell lines confirmed that these assays detected specific T cell recognition of these peptides. However, many tuberculosis patients also recognized these potentially specific peptides suggesting that there could be a true homologue present in M. tuberculosis.
Brahmbhatt
S
S
Immunology Unit, Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Hussain
R
R
Zafar
S
S
Dawood
G
G
Ottenhoff
T H M
TH
Drijfhout
J W
JW
Bothamley
G
G
Smith
S
S
Lopez
F V
FV
Dockrell
H M
HM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D010154:Pakistan; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012694:Serine / Q000737:chemistry; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000208:ethnology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; C455919:Mycobacterium leprae 45 kDa antigen; D010455:Peptides; D012694:Serine; D007371:Interferon-gamma