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T‐ and B‐Cell Epitopes in the Secreted Mycobacterium bovis Antigen MPB70 in Mice
Author(s) -
Tollefsen S.,
Pollock J. M.,
Lea T.,
Harboe M.,
Wiker H. G.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3083.2003.01211.x
Subject(s) - epitope , antibody , antigen , biology , mycobacterium bovis , virology , t cell , immunology , major histocompatibility complex , immune system , microbiology and biotechnology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , medicine , tuberculosis , pathology
MPB70 is a soluble secreted protein highly expressed in Mycobacterium bovis and strains of bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG); as such, it is a candidate for subunit and DNA vaccines against tuberculosis. MPB70 was screened for T‐cell epitopes in four different inbred mouse strains. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) H‐2 b ‐expressing mice (C57BL/6) secreted interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) after stimulation with peptides from the regions 1–20, 41–50, 81–110, 121–150 and 161–193 of the MPB70 sequence. H‐2 db mouse (B6D2) splenocytes secreted IFN‐γ after stimulation with some of the same peptides, whereas H‐2 d mice (BALB/ c and DBA/2) did not secrete IFN‐γ upon stimulation with the peptides. Sera from H‐2 db mice immunized with native MPB70 in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA), mpb70 DNA or live BCG Moreau were found to contain antibodies against the native MPB70 antigen. H‐2 db mice immunized with native MPB70 in IFA exhibited high titres of peptide‐reactive immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibodies, whereas DNA‐immunized mice reacted with IgG2a antibodies against some of the same peptides. As some of the epitopes recognized by mouse T and B cells have previously been found to stimulate immune responses in humans, cattle and rabbits, we conclude that these epitopes may be good general epitopes for the stimulation of T‐ and B‐cell responses and candidates for a DNA vaccine with a broad applicability.