| 摘要 |
PURPOSE: Provided are polypeptides comprising an immunogenic portion of a M. vaccae protein and DNA molecules encoding such polypeptides, together with methods for their use in the diagnosis and treatment of mycobacterial infection. Methods for enhancing the immune response to an antigen including administration of M. vaccae culture filtrate or delipidated M. vaccae cells are also provided. CONSTITUTION: A polypeptide comprising an immunogenic portion of a soluble M. vaccae antigen, or a variant thereof, is characterized in that the antigen induces an immune response in patients previously exposed to a mycobacterium. The antigen includes a sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) sequence recited in SEQ ID NOS: 1-4, 9-16, 18-21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 44, 45, 47, 52-55, 63, 64, 70, 75, 89, 94, 98, 100-105, 109, 110, 112, 121, 124, 125, 134, 135, 140 and 141; and (b) sequence having at least about a 99% probability of being the same sequence as (a). |
