T cell responses to ESAT-6 and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10), antigens expressed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis but not by M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), were found to discriminate reliably between infection with M. tuberculosis and BCG vaccination. Because the esat-6 and cfp-10 genes occur in M. kansasii and M. marinum, T cell responses to ESAT-6 and CFP-10 were investigated in ...

The purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection lacks specificity. We assessed 2 more specific M. tuberculosis antigens (ESAT-6 and CFP-10) by enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) compared with PPD by ELISPOT and skin test in The Gambia. Of 735 household contacts of 130 sputum smear-positive tuberculosis cases, 476 (65%) tested positive by PPD ELISPO...

We reported previously that the early secreted antigenic target of 6 kDa (ESAT-6) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly inhibits human T cell IFN-γ production and proliferation in response to stimulation with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28. To determine the mechanism of this effect, we treated T cells with kinase inhibitors before stimulation with ESAT-6. Only the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, abrog...

Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection by delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test with purified derivative (PPD) antigen is still used in many countries including Thailand. However, it is less specificity due to significant cross-reactivity with non-tuberculosis mycobacteria. Antigen such as early secretory antigenic target (ESAT6) is secreted in the early phase of infection an...

BACKGROUND Early secretory antigenic target-6 (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein-10 (CFP-10) are co-secreted proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex mycobacteria (includes M. bovis, the zoonotic agent of bovine tuberculosis) involved in phagolysosome escape of the bacillus and, potentially, in the efficient induction of granulomas. Upon tuberculosis infection, multi-nucleate giant cel...

In this paper we describe identification and characterization of Mycobacterium leprae ESAT-6 (L-ESAT-6), the homologue of M. tuberculosis ESAT-6 (T-ESAT-6). T-ESAT-6 is expressed by all pathogenic strains belonging to the M. tuberculosis complex but is absent from virtually all other mycobacterial species, and it is a promising antigen for immunodiagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). Therefore, we ana...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESAT-6 protein for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). MATERIAL AND METHODS A phase II trial was performed in 158 patients with pulmonary TB (145 initially-treated and 13 re-treated) and 133 healthy subjects. Skin testing was carried out by injecting purified protein derivative (PP...

The ESAT-6 (early secretory antigenic target) molecule is a very important target for T cell recognition during infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although ESAT-6 contains numerous potential T cell epitopes, the immune response during infection is often focused toward a few immunodominant epitopes. By immunization with individual overlapping synthetic peptides in cationic liposomes (cat...