Induction of cellular immune reactions by A36, an antigen complex of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis: comparison of A36 and johnin components.

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) is a chronic enteritis syndrome of ruminants, which is due to infection by Mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Cutaneous testing with proteins extracted from a mycobacterial culture fluid (johnin-PPD) is currently used to evaluate the cellular immune status. We have compared the components of johnin-PPD with those of the A36 complex, a thermostable macromolecular antigen (TMA) present in the cytoplasm and associated with the cell wall of M. paratuberculosis. The presence in the johnin-PPD of fifteen A36 components has been shown by Western blotting. Moreover, monoclonal antibodies, which bind respectively to the 65-kDa M. leprae heat shock protein, the 28-kDa M. leprae superoxide dismutase, and M. tuberculosis lipoarabinomannan, recognized components of the johnin-PPD. The ability of A36 to trigger delayed hypersensitivity reactions in sensitized rabbits, and to induce the proliferation of T lymphocytes from the lymph nodes of A36-sensitized mice, matched that of johnin-PPD. The homology levels of T epitopes between A36 and the TMA complexes of M. phlei, M. bovis, M. tuberculosis and M. avium were estimated, in a lymphoproliferation assay, to be 51, 52, 59 and 94% respectively. A strong cross-reactivity of A36 with an M. leprae sonicate was also observed by cutaneous testing. The A36 components within the 45.2-26.8-kDa and the 21.6-19.8-kDa ranges were proved to induce the proliferation of T lymphocytes from sensitized mice. This work supports the possible use of the A36 complex, and of some of its components, for cutaneous tests and lymphocyte proliferation assays, in order to monitor cellular immunity in Johne's disease.