01800nas a2200301   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653002000067653001100087653002000098653002300118653002600141653001200167653002600179653001600205653000900221653002400230653002500254653001500279100001300294700001700307245008500324300001000409490000700419520105800426022001401484       1984                            d  c1984 Jan10aAnimals10aCells, Cultured10aFemale10aHot Temperature10aImmunity, Cellular10aImmunization, Passive10aleprosy10aLymphocyte Activation10aLymphocytes10aMice10aMice, Inbred BALB C10aMycobacterium leprae10aSkin Tests1 aGraham L1 aNavalkar R G00aEvaluation of Mycobacterium leprae immunogenicity via adoptive transfer studies.  a79-830 v433 a<p>The immune response of mice to live, heat-killed, or autoclaved Mycobacterium leprae was investigated. After sensitization with 10(7) organisms in each group, recipient mice were transfused with the sensitized splenocytes 28 days later. A selected number of these mice were infected with 5 X 10(3) M. leprae, and the remaining animals were sacrificed at scheduled intervals for evidence of cell-mediated immunity to the M. leprae cell extract. Data from these and the bacteriological assays showed that all three materials induce cell-mediated immunity and also extend protection against the M. leprae challenge but not against a Listeria monocytogenes challenge. Adoptive immunity against M. leprae was expressed equally effectively in both non-irradiated animals and those sublethally (500 R) irradiated. This study reveals that, after adoptive transfer of immunity, a bacillary restriction occurs with concomitant onset of delayed hypersensitivity and that the protection observed could be specifically directed against an M. leprae challenge.</p>  a0019-9567