A recombinant 64 kilodalton protein of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin specifically stimulates human T4 clones reactive to mycobacterial antigens.

Abstract

A recombinant 64 kD protein of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) (antigen A), which amounted to approximately 2% of an E. coli lysate, was tested for its capacity to stimulate human T4 clones reactive to mycobacterial proteins. Two out of four crossreactive clones, established from a patient with tuberculoid leprosy, which could be stimulated by protein preparations of M. leprae and M. tuberculosis, and by particulate M. bovis BCG were also reactive to antigen A without further enrichment from E. coli lysate. In addition, BCG-reactive T cell clones from two of three healthy PPD+ donors reacted with antigen A. This finding shows that human T cell clones may be useful for probing gene-cloned proteins of potential value for vaccination against diseases where protection is mediated exclusively by T cells.

• Authors: F Emmrich, J Thole, J van Embden, S H Kaufmann
• Journal: The Journal of experimental medicine (J Exp Med) Vol. 163 Issue 4 Pg. 1024-9 (Apr 01 1986) ISSN: 0022-1007 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3512760 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Recombinant Proteins

Topics

• Clone Cells
• Humans
• Lymphocyte Activation
• Mycobacterium bovis
• Recombinant Proteins
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)