Study of the immunogenicity of Rv2626c antigen from Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a murine model.

ROCIO ZUAZO; MARIA PAULA MORELLI; VITTI A; CANDELA MARTIN; CAMILA MARTINENA; ANA BAZAN; NANCY L. TATEOSIÁN; AMIANO, NICOLÁS O; , GARCÍA V.E

Congreso; ALACI 2024; 2024

Background: Previously we demonstrated that stimulation of cells from latently tuberculosisinfected individuals (LTBI) with specific epitopes of Rv2626c antigen induced significantsecretion of IFN-γ in sharp contrast to non-infected subjects. Furthermore, anti-Rv2626c IgGcirculating antibodies were detected in plasma from LTBI. Considering these findings, wehypothesized that Rv2626c could be a potential tool to be used for the development ofvaccines against latent tuberculosis infection. Then, we studied the immunogenicity ofRv2626c in mice.Objective: To evaluate the immunodominant regions of Rv2626c antigen in a murine model.Methods: BALB/c mice were immunized by the subcutaneous route with rRv2626c plusDNA plasmid expressing murine IL-12, three doses every 14 days. Ten days after the lastimmunization, splenocytes were obtained and in vitro stimulated with peptide pools ofRv2626c covering the entire sequence of the protein. Each pool was composed of six shortpeptides (11 to 15 amino acids). Afterwards, IFN-γ production and specific plasma IgGagainst Rv2626c peptides were measured by ELISA.Results: Regarding specific IFN-γ production, we identify two essential immunodominantregions located between peptides 19 to 24 and 31 to 36, which correspond to pools D and F(p