IN-VITRO STIMULATION OF PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS (PBMC) FROM HIV- AND HIV-DUCREYI ANTIGENS( CHANCROID PATIENTS BY HAEMOPHILUS)

The cellular immune responses to fractionated Haemophilus ducreyi anti gens, coated on latex beads, were assessed in patients with chancroid and in controls, using an in vitro lymphocyte proliferation assay. Sev eral fractions of H. ducreyi antigen revealed stimulating activity. Ho wever, only the molecular size ranges 91-78 kD, 59-29 kD, and 25-21 kD induced proliferation that may be specifically related to H. ducreyi infection. Lymphocytes from four HIV- patients, successfully treated f or chancroid, were not stimulated by H. ducreyi antigen. In general, l ymphocytes from HIV+ chancroid patients were less responsive to H. duc reyi antigen compared with those from HIV- chancroid patients. However , two HIV-infected patients showed exceptionally strong responses to h igh molecular weight fractions. To our knowledge this is the first rep ort demonstrating that H. ducreyi contains specific T cell-stimulating antigens. Based on this work, further identification and purification of the T cell antigens is feasible.