Polyfunctional CD4 T-cells correlate with in vitro mycobacterial growth inhibition following Mycobacterium bovis BCG-vaccination of infants

摘要

Background: Vaccination with Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) protects infants against childhood tuberculosis however the immune mechanisms involved are not well understood. Further elucidation of the infant immune response to BCG will aid with the identification of immune correlates of protection against tuberculosis and with the design of new improved vaccines. The purpose of this study was to investigate BCG-induced CD4+ T-cell responses in blood samples from infants for cytoldne secretion profiles thought to be important for protection against tuberculosis and compare these to PBMC-mediated in vitro mycobacterial growth inhibition.