CD4+ T-cell activation by antigen-presenting cells infected with urease-deficient recombinant Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

We constructed a recombinant Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG-Delta UT) that lacks urease, providing acidic intraphagosomal conditions to drive an effective human immune T-cell response. BCG-Delta UT-infected macrophages stimulated autologous CD4+ T cells more efficiently than parent BCG-infected macrophages. For further T-cell activation, BCG-Delta UT-infected macrophages required pretreatment with exogenous recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor or costimulation with either CD40 ligand or interferon-gamma. By contrast, BCG-Delta UT-infected dendritic cells induced significant activation of naïve CD4+ T cells without costimulating signals. C57BL/6 mice intradermally inoculated with BCG-Delta UT more efficiently produced memory T cells that responded to recall antigen. Therefore, the depletion of urease from BCG is useful for the activation of T cells.