title: Assessment of cell mediated immunogenicity of Mycobacterium leprae-derived antigens.
abstract: The antigenicity of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae)-derived cell membrane fraction was examined using human dendritic cells (DCs). Immature DCs internalized and processed the cell membrane components, and expressed M. leprae-derived antigens (Ags) on their surface. The expression of MHC class II, CD86, and CD83 Ags on DCs and CD40 ligand (L)-associated IL-12 p70 production from DCs were up-regulated by the membrane Ags. Moreover these stimulated DCs induced significantly higher level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by autologous CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells than those pulsed with equivalent doses of live M. leprae or its cytosol fraction. Both subsets of T cells from tuberculoid leprosy patients also produced several fold more IFN-gamma than those from normal individuals. Furthermore, the intracellular perforin production in CD8(+) T cells was up-regulated in an Ag-dose dependent manner. These results suggest that M. leprae membrane Ags might be useful as the vaccinating agents against leprosy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-2-1 Aoba-cho, Higashimurayama, 189-0002, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Masaichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gidoh
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Chifumi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mukai
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makino
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000502:physiology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D054353:Perforin; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma