Evolution of Antibodies to Epitopes of PE_PGRS51 in the Spectrum of Active Pulmonary Tuberculosis

J Infect Dis. 2020 Apr 7;221(9):1538-1541. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiz546.

Abstract

Background: Intrafamily homology has impeded correlation of expression of individual PE_PGRS proteins with stage of tuberculosis (TB). We investigated the in vivo expression of PE_PGRS51, which has 3 unique regions.

Methods: Sera from patients across the spectrum of TB were used to screen peptide arrays spanning PE_PGRS51.

Results: Antibodies against a subset of conserved "core epitopes" within PE/PGRS domains are elicited during early TB. The epitope repertoire expands to adjacent regions with disease progression. Antiunique region antibodies appear only during cavitary TB.

Conclusions: Elicitation of antiunique region antibodies can serve as markers for in vivo expression of PE_PGRS proteins.

Keywords: PE_PGRS; TB spectrum; antibodies; epitope spreading; in vivo expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood*
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Antigens, Bacterial / genetics
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / immunology*
  • Epitopes / immunology
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / immunology*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / immunology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Epitopes
  • Membrane Proteins
  • PE-PGRS protein, Mycobacterium