01670nas a2200277   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002400055653001600079653002000095653001100115653002800126653001200154653001600166653002200182653002400204653002500228653001800253653002400271100001300295245013800308300001100446490000700457520091400464022001401378       2006                            d  c2006 Sep10aAntigens, Bacterial10aBCG Vaccine10aDendritic Cells10aHumans10aImmunodominant Epitopes10aleprosy10aMacrophages10aMembrane Proteins10aMycobacterium bovis10aMycobacterium leprae10aT-Lymphocytes10aVaccines, Synthetic1 aMakino M00a[Identification of an immunodominant antigen of Mycobacterium leprae and its application for the development of protective measures].  a279-830 v753 a<p>Host defense against Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) is chiefly conducted by cellular immunity. The adaptive immunity plays an important role, and T cells are activated through recognition of some immunodominant antigens of M. leprae. A search for an immunodominant antigen was carried out using human peripheral monocytes-derived dendritic cells and M. leprae-derived cell membrane fraction which is the most antigenic fraction of the bacteria, and Major Membrane Protein (MMP)-II was found as one of the immunodoninant antigens. The MMP-II highly stimulated both dendritic cells and macrophages to produce various cytokines. Further, MMP-II was recognized by T cells in vivo in patients infected with M. leprae. Then, we constructed a recombinant BCG secreting MMP-II. The recombinant BCG strongly stimulated both naive CD4+ and naive CD8+ T cells, and seemed to be a useful immunostimulatory agent.</p>  a1342-3681