The M. tuberculosis Phosphate-Binding Lipoproteins PstS1 and PstS3 Induce Th1 and Th17 Responses That Are Not Associated with Protection against M. tuberculosis Infection
Figure 1
Schematic diagram of experimental design. C57BL/6 female mice were immunized twice or four times at 2-week intervals, with plasmid DNA (coding for pstS1, pstS3, or ag85B) or recombinant proteins (PstS1, PstS3, or Ag85B) in the presence or absence of LTK63 adjuvant. As a positive control, a single dose of BCG was injected s.c. Four weeks after the last immunization, mice were challenged i.v. with 105 CFU of M. tuberculosis H37Rv or killed to recover blood and spleen. Control: naive C57BL/6 female mice receiving PBS; DNA: plasmid DNA coding pstS1, pstS3, or ag85B 50 μg/injection i.m.; protein: PstS1, PstS3, or Ag85B proteins 10 μg/injection s.c.; protein/LTK63: PstS1, PstS3, or Ag85B protein together with the adjuvant LTK63 10 μg each/injection s.c.; BCG: BCG Pasteur 105 CFU s.c.
