Towards a DNA vaccine against tuberculosis.

Expression of the gene for a single mycobacterial antigen (Mycobacterium leprae hsp65) in adult Balb/c mice resulted in substantial cell-mediated protection against challenge with M. tuberculosis. CD4 and CD8 T cells cloned from spleens of such immunized mice passively transferred protection to non-immunized mice, and CD8 cells selectively lysed macrophages infected with M. tuberculosis. Three modes of expressing the gene have been tested: (1) expression from a retroviral vector (pZIPNeoSV) in implanted J774 tumour cells, (2) expression from the same vector via bone marrow cells transfected in vitro and used to reconstitute irradiated mice, and (3) in a preliminary experiment, from CMV immediate-early and hydroxymethylglutaryl Co-A reductase promoters injected as plasmid DNA into muscle.