01458nas a2200133   4500000000100000008004100001100001700042245011600059856007900175300000800254490000600262520104200268022001401310       2014                            d1 aBothamley GH00aEpitope-Specific Antibody Levels in Tuberculosis: Biomarkers of Protection, Disease, and Response to Treatment.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4040437/pdf/fimmu-05-00243.pdf  a2430 v53 a<p>Monoclonal antibodies restricted to Mycobacterium tuberculosis can measure epitope-specific antibody levels in a competition assay. Immunodominant epitopes were defined from clinical samples and related to the clinical spectrum of disease. Antibody to the immunodominant epitopes was associated with HLA-DR15. Occupational exposure showed a different response and was consistent with recognition of dormancy-related proteins and protection despite exposure to tuberculosis (TB). Studies in leprosy revealed the importance of immune deviation and the relationships between T and B cell epitopes. During treatment, antibody levels increased, epitope spreading occurred, but the affinity constants remained the same after further antigen exposure, suggesting constraints on the process of epitope selection. Epitope-specific antibody levels have a potential role as biomarkers for new vaccines which might prevent the progression of latent to active TB and as tools to measure treatment effects on subpopulations of tubercle bacilli.</p>  a1664-3224