T Regulatory Cells and BCG as a Vaccine against Tuberculosis: An Overview

作     者：Om Parkash 

作者机构：Department of Immunology National JALMA Institute for Leprosy and Other Mycobacterial Diseases Tajganj Agra India 

出 版 物：《World Journal of Vaccines》 (疫苗（英文）)

年 卷 期：2015年第5卷第2期

页      面：96-105页

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100201[医学-内科学(含：心血管病、血液病、呼吸系病、消化系病、内分泌与代谢病、肾病、风湿病、传染病)] 10[医学] 

主　　题：BCG Vaccine Tuberculosis T Regulatory Cells 

摘      要：Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), which has been used since 1921 as the only vaccine against tuber-culosis (TB), protects poorly, if at all, against pulmonary tuberculosis among adults in high incident developing countries. This failure has been attributed to the possible down modulating action of T regulatory cells (Tregs), which can be stimulated by environmental mycobacteria and expanded by BCG vaccination. Tregs induced at the site of BCG vaccination may interfere with protection against tuberculosis. This communication describes the contribution of Tregs towards dampening the efficacy of BCG and plausible approaches to countering this down modulating effect of Tregs. Probably, antigen specific inhibition of the local recruitment of Tregs whilst avoiding generalised disturbance of immune homeostasis could prove to be worthwhile. Alternatively, drugs with short half life may achieve more acceptable transient inhibition of Tregs function than the prolonged action of monoclonal antibodies. Evolving novel safe strategies is a challenge for developing a better anti TB vaccine.