Three susceptible mouse strains, i.e., BALB/c (H-2d), C57BL/6 (H-2b), and major histocompatibility complex-congenic BALB.B10 (H-2b), were infected intravenously with 4 x 10(6) CFU of live Mycobacterium bovis BCG and analyzed 4 weeks later for in vitro spleen cell cytokine secretion in response to purified protein derivative (PPD), BCG culture filtrate (CF), BCG cellular extract, total BCG, the purified extracellular 30-32-kDa antigen (the fibronectin-binding antigen 85), or the intracellular 65-kDa heat shock protein. C57BL/6 and BALB.B10 mice produced 5- to 10-fold more gamma interferon and interleukin-2 (IL-2) when stimulated with CF, PPD, and antigen 85 than BALB/c mice did. When stimulated with BCG extract and whole BCG, gamma interferon and IL-2 levels were generally lower and comparable in the three strains. IL-4 was detected in spleen cell culture supernatants from infected BALB/c mice but not from C57BL/6 or BALB.B10 mice. IL-5 could not be detected. C57BL/6 and BALB.B10 spleen cells also produced more tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-6 after stimulation with PPD and CF than BALB/c cells did. Finally, BCG vaccination generated efficient protective immunity in C57BL/6 and BALB.B10 mice but not in BALB/c mice. These data suggest that secreted mycobacterial CF antigens selectively induce a strong TH1 response in BCG-infected C57BL/6 and BALB.B10 mice, whereas in BALB/c mice this response is partly counterbalanced by TH2 cells.

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Lymphoproliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-y) secretion in response to 28 overlapping 20-mer synthetic peptides covering the complete sequence of the mature (295-amino-acid) 85A component of the major secreted, fibronectin-binding antigen 85 complex from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG (MTAg85A) was examined by using peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures from healthy tuberculinand lepromin-positive volunteers and from patients with tuberculosis and leprosy. Peptide recognition was largely promiscuous, with a variety of human leukocyte antigen haplotypes reacting to the same peptides. PBMC from all tuberculin-positive subjects reacted to Ag85, and the majority proliferated in response to peptide 6 (amino acids 51 to 70), peptides 13, 14, and 15 (amino acids 121 to 160), or peptides 20 and 21 (amino acids 191 to 220). PBMC from tuberculosis patients demonstrated a variable reactivity to Ag85 and its peptides, and the strongest proliferation was observed against peptide 7 (amino acids 61 to 80). MTAg85A peptides were also recognized by PBMC from healthy lepromin-positive volunteers and paucibacillary leprosy patients (again in a promiscuous manner), but despite a 90%o homology between the 85A proteins ofM. leprae and M. tuberculosis, the peptides recognized were different. PBMC from lepromin-positive healthy contacts reacted against peptide 2 (amino acids 11 to 30), peptide 5 (amino acids 41 to 60), and peptides 25 and 26 (amino acids 241 to 270). PBMC from paucibacillary patients reacted preferentially against peptide 1 (amino acids 1 to 20) and peptide 5. Multibacillary patients were not reactive to Ag85 or the MT85A peptides. IFN-y production was generally detected simultaneously with positive lymphoproliferative responses, although peptide 1 mostly stimulated proliferation and peptides 27 and 28 mostly elicited an IFN-y response. In conclusion, regions 41 to 80 and 241 to 295 demonstrated powerful and promiscuous T-cell-stimulatory properties, resulting in proliferative responses and IFN-y secretion, respectively, in the majority of reactive

SUMMARYFew studies have analysed the antibody response during intravesical BCG immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer. We have examined the evolution in serum antibody response against several heat shock proteins (hsp), including the recombinant mycobacterial hsp65 and the native protein P64 from BCG, GroEL from Escherichia coli (hsp60 family), recombinant mycobacterial hsp70 and the E. coli DnaK (hsp70 family), against purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) and the AG85 complex of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, as well as against tetanus toxoid in 42 patients with a superficial bladder tumour, 28 treated with six intravesical BCG instillations and 14 patients used as controls. We also analysed the lymphoproliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells against PPD in this population. Data of antibody responses at 6 weeks post BCG were available in all 28 patients,

Nine monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were produced against Mycobacterium bovis BCG antigen 85 complex. Using isoelectric focusing combined with Western (immunoblot) blot analysis, antigenically related proteins could be identified in culture filtrates from M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. Kansasii, M. avium, M. xenopi, M. gordonae, M. fortuitum, M. phlei and M. smegmatis. Most of the MoAbs were found to be broadly cross-reactive between the various mycobacterial species, albeit some minor differences were observed. These MoAbs reacted generally, in each species, with different components. One MoAb (VID1-14) was found to be specifically directed only against antigen 85B from M. bovis, M. tuberculosis and M. kansasii.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an angioproliferative disease characterized by proliferating spindle-shaped cells, angiogenesis, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Several lines of evidence suggest that KS is a multifocal cytokine-mediated disease of vascular origin. Because metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important enzymes involved in angiogenesis, we studied their activity in five different KS-derived cell lines and compared these data with those obtained with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). We focused on the activity of the 72- and 92-kd type IV collagenases because these enzymes are thought to play an important role in the process of tumoral invasion. Nonstimulated HUVEC released a weak 72-kd collagenase activity and no 92-kd collagenase activity, as determined by zymographic analysis. Stimulation of HUVEC with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) or TNF-alpha increased the 72-kd collagenase activity and also induced a 92-kd collagenase activity. By contrast, KS-derived cells constitutively released significant 72- and 92-kd collagenase activities. The basal release of these enzymes by KS cells was further enhanced by TNF-alpha or PMA. Conversely after in vivo exposure to chemotherapy, KS-derived cells showed a downregulation of the production of MMPS that could be reversed by the addition of TNF or PMA. These results suggest that KS cells have constitutive features of activated cells that have an invasive and metastasizing potential.

An immunogenic and skin-reactive protein called P64 was purified from Sauton zinc-deficient culture filtrate of Mycobacterium bovis BCG by using successively hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose, ion exchange on DEAE-Sephacel, and molecular sieving on Sephadex G-200. The final P64 preparation was found to be homogeneous based on several analyses. Protein P64 was a constituent of BCG cells since it was present in soluble cellular extract from normally grown BCG cells. It represented 8 to 9% of the soluble proteins of the extract and appeared as the major soluble protein antigen of BCG. This protein was found to have a molecular weight of 64,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but in molecular sieving it eluted at a volume corresponding to a molecular weight of 246,000. An abnormal UV spectrum was observed for this protein. Its amino acid composition showed an abundance of acidic amino acids (or their amides). Aromatic amino acids represented only 3% of the total amino acid residues. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of this protein (10 amino acids) was determined. Its sugar content measured with the phenol-sulfuric acid test was lower than 0.3% (wt/wt). Isolated P64 was tested by various crossed-immunoelectrophoresis techniques and was shown to correspond to antigen 82 in the reference system for BCG antigens. The protein antigen P64 elicited a delayed cutaneous reaction in guinea pigs sensitized with either living or heat-killed BCG. Its potency in skin reaction was, respectively, two-and threefold that of the BCG purified protein derivative. The two types of sensitization used for skin test reactions promoted significant immunoglobulin G antibody production against the protein antigen P64 in guinea pigs 7 weeks after sensitization.

The P32 protein antigen of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, identified as antigen 85A in the BCG reference system, was used to investigate the humoral immune response in human tuberculosis (TB). Immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM directed against P32 were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mean IgG and IgA antibody levels differed significantly (P < 0.001) between active-TB patients (50 untreated and 52 treated) and healthy control subjects (111 unvaccinated tuberculin negative, 38 unvaccinated tuberculin positive, and 72 recently BCG vaccinated). Mean IgG antibody levels, but not mean IgA antibody levels, were higher (P < 0.05) in patients with positive microscopic examination for acid-fast bacilli than in patients with negative microscopic examination. A positive relation was found between mean levels and the extent of disease. There was no difference in mean IgM antibody levels between patients and controls. By setting the upper normal limit at the 95th percentile of the 221 healthy subjects, the sensitivities were 46% in untreated and 63% in treated patients for IgG and 30 and 50%, respectively, for IgA. Of the untreated patients, 56% were positive for either IgG or IgA antibodies. Among the untreated patients with negative direct smear, 35% were positive for IgG and 24% were positive for IgA. When both immunoglobulin classes were combined, the serological test was positive in 47% of those patients. Neither naturally acquired tuberculin hypersensitivity nor BCG vaccination affected positivity frequencies in healthy subjects. Only active TB seemed to induce significant anti-P32 antibody levels and to be associated with positivity. A serological test with P32 as the antigen might therefore be helpful for the rapid diagnosis of TB.