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Identification of a Mycobacterium leprae ‐specific T cell epitope on the 70 kDa heat shock protein
Author(s) -
ROCHE P. W.,
PEAKE P. W.,
DAVENPORT M. P.,
BRITTON W. J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1994.32
Subject(s) - mycobacterium leprae , epitope , biology , heat shock protein , peptide sequence , hsp70 , antigen , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , leprosy , biochemistry , immunology , gene
Summary A major antigen of the leprosy bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae , is the 70 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70), which has significant sequence homology with Hsp70 from other Mycobacterial species as well as Hsp70 from eukaryotes. A unique region of 70 amino acids at the C ‐terminus of the M. leprae Hsp70 has been previously identified. This study investigated whether mice immunized with the C ‐terminal fragment of M. leprae Hsp70 recognize T cell epitopes in this species‐specific portion of the molecule. Murine lymphoproliferative responses to overlapping peptides spanning the C ‐terminal 70 amino acids were restricted to mice of an H‐2 b haplotype and identified the presence of a determinant in sequence 567–591. Lymph node cells from mice immunized with this peptide recognized both the C ‐terminal fragment and the whole Hsp70 molecule. Moreover, mice immunized with the same peptide responded to the whole Hsp70 molecule in a delayed‐type hypersensitivity reaction. The significance of M. leprae ‐specific T cell epitopes in the host response to Mycobacterial infection is discussed.