Host cell-induced components of the sulfate assimilation pathway are major protective antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: New therapies to control tuberculosis are urgently required because of the inability of the only available vaccine, BCG, to adequately protect against tuberculosis. Here we demonstrate that proteins of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis sulfate-assimilation pathway (SAP) represent major immunogenic targets of the bacillus, as defined by strong T-cell recognition by both mice and humans infected with M. tuberculosis. SAP proteins displayed increased expression when M. tuberculosis was resident within host cells, which may account in part for their ability to stimulate anti-M. tuberculosis host immunity. Vaccination with the first enzyme in this pathway, adenosine-5'-triphosphate sulfurylase, conferred significant protection against murine tuberculosis and boosted BCG-induced protective immunity

SUBMITTER: Pinto R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3563308 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature