02145nas a2200433   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001000055653002700065653002500092653001700117653001700134653003100151653001600182653003100198653002000229653001100249653001700260653001100277653002300288653002100311653001800332653001200350653003000362653002600392653000900418653002700427653002200454653001600476653002500492100001300517700001200530700001200542245008700554300001000641490000800651520103800659022001401697       2005                            d  c2005 Jan10aAdult10aAntibodies, Monoclonal10aAntigen Presentation10aAntigens, CD10aB7-2 Antigen10aCD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes10aCD40 Ligand10aCD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes10aDendritic Cells10aFemale10aHLA Antigens10aHumans10aImmunity, Cellular10aInterferon-gamma10aInterleukin-210aleprosy10aLeukocyte Common Antigens10aLymphocyte Activation10aMale10aMembrane Glycoproteins10aMembrane Proteins10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium leprae1 aMakino M1 aMaeda Y1 aIshii N00aImmunostimulatory activity of major membrane protein-II from Mycobacterium leprae.  a53-600 v2333 a<p>We examined the antigenicity of an immunomodulatory protein, major membrane protein (MMP)-II, from Mycobacterium leprae, since host defense against M. leprae largely depends on adaptive immunity. Both unprimed and memory T cells from healthy individuals were stimulated by autologous MMP-II-pulsed monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) to produce IFN-gamma. The DC-mediated IFN-gamma production was dependent on the expression of MHC, CD86, and MMP-II antigens. Memory T cells from paucibacillary (PB) leprosy more extensively responded to MMP-II-pulsed DCs than T cells from healthy individuals, while comparable IFN-gamma was produced by unprimed T cells. Memory T cells from multibacillary leprosy, which are normally believed to be anergic, were activated similarly to those from healthy individuals by MMP-II-pulsed DCs. These results suggest that memory T cells from PB leprosy are primed with MMP-II prior to the manifestation of the disease, and MMP-II is highly antigenic in terms of activation of adaptive immunity.</p>  a0008-8749