Differential T cell responses to mycobacteria-secreted proteins distinguish vaccination with bacille calmette-guérin from infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

The immune responses of healthy recipients of Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, tuberculosis (TB) patients, and contacts of TB patients were examined to three major secretory proteins ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, MPB59, MPB64, and MPB70. MPB59 evoked a T cell response in 78% of BCG vaccinees, 62% of TB patients, and 60% of contacts. MPB64 and MPB70 were recognized by < 15% of BCG vaccinees, half of TB patients, and three-quarters of contacts. TB and leprosy patients had antibody responses to MPB59, but few had antibodies to MPB64 or MPB70. Hybridization of mycobacterial DNA with specific gene probes demonstrated the absence of a gene for MPB64 in the vaccine strain ..