T cell responses to major membrane protein II (MMP II) of Mycobacterium leprae are restricted by HLA-DR molecules in patients with leprosy

Major membrane protein II (MMP II) of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) is a 22 kDa protein inducing humoral immune response in leprosy patients. MMP I I-specific bulk T cell lines were established from leprosy patients to dete rmine major T cell epitopes in MMP Il and to evaluate lymphokine production induced by MMP II. These bulk T cell lines reacted to one or more peptides in the locus of amino acid residues from 23 to 109 of MMP II. The prolifer ative responses of all T cell lines were mainly inhibited by the addition o f anti-DRB1 mAb. Many bulk T cell lines induced IFN-gamma. IL-5, but not IL -4. However, it was not possible to distinguish the LL or TT types of lepro sy based on the pattern of T cell epitopes and the lymphokine productivity in the responses against MMP II, Thus, it appears that T cell response to M MP II is restricted by the HLA-DRB1 molecule, but not by DQ and DP molecule s, which results in the induction of IFN-gamma production. (C) 2001 Elsevie r Science Ltd. All rights reserved.