SPECIFICITY OF CD8(-CELLS FROM SUBUNIT-VACCINATED AND INFECTED H-2(B)MICE RECOGNIZING THE 38 KDA ANTIGEN OF MYCOBACTERIUM-TUBERCULOSIS() T)

CD8(+) T cells have been implicated in protective anti-tuberculous imm une responses, but little is known about the identity of mycobacterial antigens recognized by CD8(+) T cells, In this study we identified th e Mycobacterium tuberculosis 38 kDa protein as a target for murine CD8 (+) cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) which were induced by vaccination of C57BL/6 mice with DNA delivered with a plasmid, with transfected tumo ur cells or by infection with tubercle bacilli, Using overlapping synt hetic peptides covering the whole protein sequence, peptides predicted to contain H-2K(b) or H-2D(b) motifs, as well as naturally processed peptides, we were able to identify CTL epitopes. Differences were demo nstrated in peptide specificity between CTL from immunized or M. tuber culosis-infected mice. The identified CTL epitopes could be important for future analysis of the involvement of CD8(+) T cells in M. tubercu losis infections and for vaccine development.