Bo-lysin: A Potential Candidate as a biomarker of Protection after Vaccination against Tuberculosis

Authors: SCHERER, CHARLES - UNIV. OF TX MED. BR; ENDSLEY, JANICE - UNIV. OF TX MED. BR; AGUIAR, JULIANA - UNIV. OF TX MED. BR; Waters, Wade; ESTES, D - UNIV. OF TX MED. BR

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/18/2007
Publication Date: 5/18/2007
Citation: Scherer, C.F., Endsley, J.J., Aguiar, J.B., Waters, W.R., Estes, D.M. 2007. Bo-lysin: A Potential Candidate as a biomarker of Protection after Vaccination against Tuberculosis [abstract]. American Association of Immunologists. p. 47.39.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major health problem worldwide. A Th1 type response with release of IFN {gamma} measures and T cell proliferation assays, which frequently fail to correlate well with protection. The lack of better vaccines than BCG and good correlates of protection demands that new biomarkers are found. A bovine homologue of granulysin (bo-lysin), cloned by our group, may be a good candidate as a biomarker molecule for TB vaccination. In the present study we examined the kinetics of bo-lysin, compared to perforin, IFN {gamma} and Fas-L in vitro, after different stimulation conditions in different bovine T cell populations. Gene expression profile showed bo-lysin and IFN {gamma} expression increase in an equal manner, with IFN {gamma}showing up as early as 4 hours of stimulation and Bo-lysin at 24 hours, in BCG vaccinated animals. No expression was detected in non-vaccinated animals.Detection of IFN {gamma} and perforin by flow cytometry showed increasing percentages of antigen specific perforin+ or IFN {gamma} + CD4+ and perforin+ or IFN {gamma} +CD8+ T cells in BCG vaccinated animals, but none were observed in non-vaccinated animals. Results show that granulysin is a good candidate as a biomarker of protection after vaccination against TB.