HLA-DR4 restricted lymphocyte proliferation to a Mycobacterium tuberculosis extract in rheumatoid arthritis and healthy subjects

The ability of an antigenic extract of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to induce proliferation of PMBC from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and normal controls was examined. The subjects were further classified as bearing or not bearing the HLA-DR4 phenotype, since this specificity is regarded as a genetic determinant commonly associated with RA. The mycobacterial extract induced significantly higher proliferative responses in lymphocytes from all HLA-DR4 positive as compared to HLA-DR4 negative subjects regardless of whether they had RA or not. This response was maximal at day 6 of incubation and could be abrogated by anti-DR/DQ mAb added to the culture. SDS-PAGE of this extract revealed three major protein bands located at Mr 14, 47, and 65 kDa. After fractionation, Western blotting, and resuspension of protein-laden nitrocellulose particles, only the 14- and 47-kDa proteins retained the original proliferative capacity of the mycobacterial extract. The band separating with a Mr of 47 kDa was found to be the most strongly associated with the HLA-DR4 restricted lymphocyte proliferation, and represents a newly identified M. tuberculosis Ag of relevance in T cell responses. These data provide insight into the pathogenic potential of certain bacterial Ag which could trigger or perpetuate inflammatory disorders when presented in the appropriate genetical background.