[Immunogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis heat shock protein in tuberculosis].

The heat shock protein (hsp) are produced by prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in the response to a increase in temperature and a variety of insults. Hsp have been defined by their apparent molecular weight as family: Hsp100, Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp60, Hsp40 and SHsp (15-25 kD). Analysis of the immune response of M. tuberculosis infected individuals allowed for identification of antigens of tubercle bacilli. Most of them belong to evolutionarily highly conserved hsp, which cross-reactive with the hsp of E. Coli. It is conceivable that in a tuberculous granuloma both pathogenes and host cells are stressed and produce hsp. The heat shock proteins with molecular weight of 71 kD, 65 kD, 10-16 kD are immunogens and a functional role as molecular chaperones. The literature on the immunology of hsp in infectious diseases is complex and confusing and it is still not clear whether host immune responses to these proteins are protective, or damaging, as they may lead to the induction of autoimmunity. The study is engaged in a role of others mycobacterial hsp in host immuno-reactivity and their compliance with treatment of infectious diseases, neoplastic genic therapy or/and with more powerful antimycobacterial vaccine.