title: Immunostimulatory activity of major membrane protein-II from Mycobacterium leprae.
abstract: We examined the antigenicity of an immunomodulatory protein, major membrane protein (MMP)-II, from Mycobacterium leprae, since host defense against M. leprae largely depends on adaptive immunity. Both unprimed and memory T cells from healthy individuals were stimulated by autologous MMP-II-pulsed monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) to produce IFN-gamma. The DC-mediated IFN-gamma production was dependent on the expression of MHC, CD86, and MMP-II antigens. Memory T cells from paucibacillary (PB) leprosy more extensively responded to MMP-II-pulsed DCs than T cells from healthy individuals, while comparable IFN-gamma was produced by unprimed T cells. Memory T cells from multibacillary leprosy, which are normally believed to be anergic, were activated similarly to those from healthy individuals by MMP-II-pulsed DCs. These results suggest that memory T cells from PB leprosy are primed with MMP-II prior to the manifestation of the disease, and MMP-II is highly antigenic in terms of activation of adaptive immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Leprosy Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 4-2-1 Aobacho, Higashimurayama, Tokyo 189-0002, Japan. mmaki@nih.go.jp
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000494:pharmacology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007918:Leprosy / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015703:Antigens, CD; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497964:CD86 protein, human; D006680:HLA Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C500901:major membrane protein II, Mycobacterium leprae; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens