ANTIGENS OF MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE IDENTIFIED BY IMMUNOPRECIPITATION WITH SERA FROM LEPROSY AND TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS

  • 1 March 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 71  (3) , 394-398
Abstract
Mycobacterial antigens which react with human B lymphocytes were investigated by immunoprecipitation of radiolabelled sonicates of Mycobacterium leprae and M. bovis (BCG) were sera from patients with leprosy and tuberculosis in the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. SDS-PAGE analysis of the immunoprecipitates demonstrated that dense bands of Mr 12,000 (12K), 15K, 27K, 32-33K, 36K and 48K were the major antigens of M. leprae recognized by antibodies in lepromatous leprosy sera. Of these, only the 15-16K band reacted significantly with sera from patients with tuberculoid leprosy and tuberculosis. Other antigens including the T cell imunogens of Mr 18K and 70K reacted with some of the BL/LL sera tested. There were differences in the pattern of antigens precipitated from BGC sonicate by leprosy sera with 65K antigen and a high molecular weight band (> 94K) being readily detected. These results differ in part to these obtained by probing immunoblots of M. leprae sonicate with leprosy sera. Factors contributing to these differences are discussed.