• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2005

Background : The immune responses mediated by CD8+T cells are known to be significant in controlling M. tuberculosis infections. In order to determine the role of cytotoxic CD8+T cells in the protective immune mechanism in latently infected subjects, this study examined whether or not the cytotoxic immune responses of CD8+T cells specific to the M. tuberculosis somatic antigens are induced in BCG vaccinated healthy subjects. Methods : Cytotoxicity and $IFN-{\gamma}$ elispot assays were used to investigate the activities of CD8+T cells specific for the $thyA_{30-38}$ peptide epitope in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from BCG-vaccinated HLA-A*0201 and A*0206 subjects. Results : The results indicate the cytotoxic and $IFN-{\gamma}$ immune responses of CD8+T cells specific for $thyA_{30-38}$ were induced in BCG vaccinated healthy subjects. Conclusion : The cytotoxic and $IFN-{\gamma}$ responses by CD8+T cells specific for the M. tuberculosis somatic antigens are induced in BCG-vaccinated subjects, and appear to be involved in the protective immune mechanism in latently infected people against a M. tuberculosis infection.