Abstract |
Because only 10% of individuals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis will eventually develop disease, antigens that are recognized differently by the immune systems of infected healthy and diseased subjects may constitute potential vaccine candidates. Here, the heparin-binding hemagglutinin adhesin (HBHA) is identified as such an antigen. Lymphocytes from 60% of healthy infected individuals (n=25) produced interferon (IFN)-gamma after stimulation with HBHA, compared with only 4% of patients with active tuberculosis (n=24). In the responders, both CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells secreted HBHA-specific IFN-gamma, and the antigen was presented by both major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules. In contrast to the reduced ability of patients with tuberculosis to produce HBHA-specific IFN-gamma, most of them (82%) produced anti-HBHA antibodies, compared with 36% of the infected healthy subjects. These observations indicate that HBHA is recognized differently by the immune systems of patients with tuberculosis and infected healthy individuals and might provide a marker for protection against tuberculosis.
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Authors | Chantal Masungi, Stéphane Temmerman, Jean-Paul Van Vooren, Annie Drowart, Kevin Pethe, Franco D Menozzi, Camille Locht, Françoise Mascart |
Journal | The Journal of infectious diseases
(J Infect Dis)
Vol. 185
Issue 4
Pg. 513-20
(Feb 15 2002)
ISSN: 0022-1899 [Print] United States |
PMID | 11865404
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Antibodies, Bacterial
- Hemagglutinins
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
- Lectins
- heparin-binding hemagglutinin
- Interferon-gamma
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Topics |
- Antibodies, Bacterial
(biosynthesis)
- B-Lymphocytes
(immunology)
- Hemagglutinins
(immunology)
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
(physiology)
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
(physiology)
- Humans
- Immunophenotyping
- Interferon-gamma
(biosynthesis)
- Lectins
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(immunology)
- T-Lymphocytes
(immunology)
- Tuberculosis
(drug therapy, immunology)
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