@article{3300,
  keywords = {Antigens, Bacterial, Antigens, Surface, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD40 Ligand, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Dendritic Cells, Humans, Interferon-gamma, Interleukin-12, Lymphocyte Activation, Membrane Glycoproteins, Mycobacterium leprae, Perforin, Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins},
  author = {Maeda Y and Gidoh M and Ishii N and Mukai C and Makino M},
  title = {Assessment of cell mediated immunogenicity of Mycobacterium leprae-derived antigens.},
  abstract = {<p>The antigenicity of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae)-derived cell membrane fraction was examined using human dendritic cells (DCs). Immature DCs internalized and processed the cell membrane components, and expressed M. leprae-derived antigens (Ags) on their surface. The expression of MHC class II, CD86, and CD83 Ags on DCs and CD40 ligand (L)-associated IL-12 p70 production from DCs were up-regulated by the membrane Ags. Moreover these stimulated DCs induced significantly higher level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by autologous CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells than those pulsed with equivalent doses of live M. leprae or its cytosol fraction. Both subsets of T cells from tuberculoid leprosy patients also produced several fold more IFN-gamma than those from normal individuals. Furthermore, the intracellular perforin production in CD8(+) T cells was up-regulated in an Ag-dose dependent manner. These results suggest that M. leprae membrane Ags might be useful as the vaccinating agents against leprosy.</p>},
  year = {2003},
  journal = {Cellular immunology},
  volume = {222},
  pages = {69-77},
  month = {2003 Mar},
  issn = {0008-8749},
  doi = {10.1016/s0008-8749(03)00078-9},
  language = {eng},
}