Cellular immunity mediated by T cells plays a major role in protection against intracellular infections, including leprosy, a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. In this work, we describe CD4+ T-cell clones, isolated from healthy humans immunized with M. leprae, which recognize a novel M. leprae protein antigen previously isolated from a λgt11 DNA expression library. On the basis of the deduced primary structure of the carboxyl-terminal part of the antigen, we have used a synthetic-peptide approach to exactly define the T-cell epitope recognized. Importantly, major histocompatibility complex restriction studies showed that the epitope is presented by an HLA-DRw53 molecule which is frequently expressed in many populations. In addition, we have demonstrated that a long-term cell-mediated immunity response against the peptide epitope is present after immunization with M. leprae. In conclusion, the M. leprae T-cell epitope described here fulfills the primary criteria for subunit vaccine candidates against leprosy.
CITATION STYLE
Mustafa, A. S., Deggerdal, A., Lundin, K. E. A., Meloen, R. M., Shinnick, T. M., & Oftung, F. (1994). An HLA-DRw53-restricted T-cell epitope from a novel Mycobacterium leprae protein antigen important to the human memory T-cell repertoire against M. leprae. Infection and Immunity, 62(12), 5595–5602. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.62.12.5595-5602.1994
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.