01898nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002400055653001800079653002700097653004000124653001100164653001200175653002100187653002400208653002500232653002600257653001700283100001600300700001600316700001500332700001300347245012100360300001000481490000700491520108400498022001401582       1988                            d  c1988 Mar10aAntigens, Bacterial10aB-Lymphocytes10aChemical Precipitation10aElectrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel10aHumans10aleprosy10aMolecular Weight10aMycobacterium bovis10aMycobacterium leprae10aStaphylococcus aureus10aTuberculosis1 aBritton W J1 aHellqvist L1 aGarsia R J1 aBasten A00aAntigens of Mycobacterium leprae identified by immunoprecipitation with sera from leprosy and tuberculosis patients.  a394-80 v713 a<p>Mycobacterial antigens which react with human B lymphocytes were investigated by immunoprecipitation of radiolabelled sonicates of Mycobacterium leprae and M. bovis (BCG) with sera from patients with leprosy and tuberculosis in the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. SDS-PAGE analysis of the immunoprecipitates demonstrated that dense bands of Mr 12,000 (12K), 15K, 27K, 32-33K, 36K and 48K were the major antigens of M. leprae recognized by antibodies in lepromatous leprosy sera. Of these, only the 15-16K band reacted significantly with sera from patients with tuberculoid leprosy and tuberculosis. Other antigens including the T cell immunogens of Mr 18K and 70K reacted with some of the BL/LL sera tested. There were differences in the pattern of antigens precipitated from BCG sonicate by leprosy sera with the 65K antigen and a high molecular weight band (greater than 94K) being readily detected. These results differ in part to these obtained by probing immunoblots of M. leprae sonicate with leprosy sera. Factors contributing to these differences are discussed.</p>  a0009-9104