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. 1994 Dec;62(12):5595–5602. doi: 10.1128/iai.62.12.5595-5602.1994

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.

A S Mustafa 1, A Deggerdal 1, K E Lundin 1, R M Meloen 1, T M Shinnick 1, F Oftung 1
PMCID: PMC303307  PMID: 7525488

Abstract

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 lambda gt11 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.

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Selected References

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