CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSES TO CELL-WALL PEPTIDOGLYCAN ASSOCIATED PROTEIN ANTIGENS IN TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS AND HEALTHY-SUBJECTS

We have isolated cell wall peptidoglycan associated proteins (CW-Pr) o f Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra by chemical treatment with trifluor omethanesulfonic acid:anisole (2:1), which further resolved into 71, 6 0 and 45 kDa proteins on SDS-PAGE, A study was carried out to investig ate the immunoreactivity of these proteins with blood samples from 4 c ategories, including 15 tuberculous patients (TB), 5 tuberculous patie nts on ATT (TBT), 10 PPD non-reactive healthy controls (HPPD-) and II PPD reactive healthy controls (HPPD+). Comparing the proliferative res ponses to cell wall protein antigens, it was observed that the 71 kDa protein gave maximum stimulation with PBMCs from the TB and HPPD+ grou ps, The adherent PBMCs from the TB group also demonstrated enhanced ph agocytosis, particularly in the presence of 71 and 45 kDa proteins, an d the phagocytic index was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the TB T group, However, PBMCs from of the groups recognized the 60 kDa cell wall antigen, Our results suggest that the 71 kDa protein from the cel l wall of M. tuberculosis is highly immunogenic.