01939nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002400055653002200079653003100101653001600132653003100148653002000179653001100199653002100210653001900231653002600250653002700276653002500303653001300328653003600341100001200377700001200389700001200401700001200413700001300425245008900438300001000527490000800537520103000545022001401575       2003                            d  c2003 Mar10aAntigens, Bacterial10aAntigens, Surface10aCD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes10aCD40 Ligand10aCD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes10aDendritic Cells10aHumans10aInterferon-gamma10aInterleukin-1210aLymphocyte Activation10aMembrane Glycoproteins10aMycobacterium leprae10aPerforin10aPore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins1 aMaeda Y1 aGidoh M1 aIshii N1 aMukai C1 aMakino M00aAssessment of cell mediated immunogenicity of Mycobacterium leprae-derived antigens.  a69-770 v2223 a<p>The antigenicity of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae)-derived cell membrane fraction was examined using human dendritic cells (DCs). Immature DCs internalized and processed the cell membrane components, and expressed M. leprae-derived antigens (Ags) on their surface. The expression of MHC class II, CD86, and CD83 Ags on DCs and CD40 ligand (L)-associated IL-12 p70 production from DCs were up-regulated by the membrane Ags. Moreover these stimulated DCs induced significantly higher level of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by autologous CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells than those pulsed with equivalent doses of live M. leprae or its cytosol fraction. Both subsets of T cells from tuberculoid leprosy patients also produced several fold more IFN-gamma than those from normal individuals. Furthermore, the intracellular perforin production in CD8(+) T cells was up-regulated in an Ag-dose dependent manner. These results suggest that M. leprae membrane Ags might be useful as the vaccinating agents against leprosy.</p>  a0008-8749