Exosomes carrying mycobacterial antigens can protect mice against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

ABSTRACT: Approximately 2 billion people are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiological agent of tuberculosis (TB), and an estimated 1.5 million individuals die annually from TB. Presently, Mycobacterium bovis BCG remains the only licensed TB vaccine; however, previous studies suggest its protective efficacy wanes over time and fails in preventing pulmonary TB. Therefore, a safe and effective vaccine is urgently required to replace BCG or boost BCG immunizations. Our previous studies revealed that mycobacterial proteins are released via exosomes from macrophages infected with M. tuberculosis or pulsed with M. tuberculosis culture filtrate proteins (CFP). In the present study, exosomes purified from macrophages treated with M. tuberculosis CFP were found to induce antigen-specific IFN-

SUBMITTER: Cheng Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4076847 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature