Antibodies against Secreted and Non‐Secreted Antigens in Mice after Infection with Live Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Mice from four different inbred strains were infected with live Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the immune response to M. tuberculosis was followed for 24 weeks, using Western blotting. Nearly all mice, irrespective of H-2 type, reacted with the 38-kDa protein band. Antibodies against this secreted 38-kDa protein were the first to appear, 4 weeks after infection. Thereafter the secreted 19-kDa protein and non-secreted antigens, such as the 65-kDa and 33-kDa proteins, were recognized. The immune response against the non-secreted antigens was influenced by the mouse strain. However, the 33-kDa protein band was recognized by all mouse strains after a second injection with live M. tuberculosis. The specificity of the antibodies was analysed in Western blot using sonicates of M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii, M. avium, M. terrae, M. gordonae and Escherichia coli. Antibodies against the 38-kDa and 33-kDa protein bands seemed to be specific for M. tuberculosis, while antibodies against the 19-kDa protein band showed limited cross-reactivity. Antibodies against the 65-kDa protein were strongly cross-reactive. These results suggest that the 38-kDa protein is secreted in vivo and, therefore, may be available to the humoral immune system at an early stage of infection. The non-secreted 33-kDa protein is only recognized by all mouse strains after prolonged contact with M. tuberculosis.

Construction of two Listeria ivanovii attenuated strains expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens for TB vaccine purposes

“…According to some papers (Drew et al, 2000;Verbon et al, 1992), secreted proteins may be more valuable in inducing specific immune response than non-secreted antigenic proteins. Results of western blot (Fig.…”

Isolation of a 33-kDa protein antigen from delipidified Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv

“…Ag84 has been reported by some to be secreted (Verbon et al 1990), while others have concluded that it is not a secretory antigen Hermans et al 1995). It has been reported that mAb F126-2 and F126-5 recognize two different antigens of M. tuberculosis (Verbon et al 1990(Verbon et al , 1992: the former mAb recognizes a secreted 34-kDa protein and the latter a 33-kDa protein which is not secreted and which corresponds to the 36-kDa proline-rich antigen of M. leprae. TB33 appears to be a 33-kDa antigenic protein that is not secreted and is probably distinct from Ag84, but it bears the F126-2 epitope common to Ag84.…”

“…TB33 was recognized by mAb F67-1 and F126-5 that are known to react with a 33-kDa protein of M. tuberculosis (Verbon et al 1992). These two mAb recognize the linear sequence Tyr-Pro-Pro-Pro of the 36-kDa proline-rich antigen of M. leprae (Klatser et al 1991).…”

“…Individual immunogenic protein antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been isolated and characterized either by chromatography of cultue filtrates (CF) and/or cell sonicates (CS) (Daniel and Fergusson 1970;Nagai et al 1991;Deshpande et al 1994) or by expression of proteins from myobacterial gene libraries (Young et al 1987). A number of investigators have reported the presence of 33/34-kDa proteins in M. tuberculosis (Verbon et al 1990;Verbon et al 1992;Wiker et al 1991) including antigen 84 (Ag84) (Hermans et al 1995). However, none of these proteins except Ag84 have been characterized.…”

A 38‐kDa Antigen of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Predominantly Induces the Secretion of Interleukin‐2, Interferon‐gamma and IgG2a Antibodies

“…It has been shown that immunization with different antigens can preferentially or selectively induce either humoral immunity or CMI response (13). The 38-kDa antigen is known to be an immunodominant antigen during the development of the immune effector mechanism against tuberculosis (14,34). However, it is still not documented whether sensitization with this antigen evokes the Thl-or Th2-…”