Wu-Hsieh B.A.Chen C.-K.Chang J.-H.Lai S.-Y.Wu C.H.H.WERN-CHERNG CHENGAndersen P.Doherty T.M.2021-05-052021-05-0520011058-4838https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/559479We sought to understand the persistence and relevance of the long-lived immune response to early secretory antigenic target (ESAT-6) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in humans. ESAT-6 is recognized by memory cells involved in protection of animals against tuberculosis (TB). Recent reports also showed that ESAT-6 response can be recovered in patients with TB and in those soon after anti-TB therapy. We chose 18 individuals who had recovered from pulmonary TB (some in remission for >5 years), and 14 bacille Calmette-Gu?rin-vaccinated healthy individuals for this study. The results showed that peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 10 (55.6%) of 18 patients with TB remission responded to ESAT-6 with stimulation indices >3.0, whereas none of the healthy controls responded. Functional analysis showed that 13 (72.2%) of 18 patients with TB remission produced significant amounts of IFN-γ in response to ESAT-6, whereas only 1 (7.1%) of the 14 healthy control subjects did so. It appears that responses to ESAT-6 can persist in individuals who had recovered from pulmonary TB. ? 2001 by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.[SDGs]SDG3early secretory antigenic target 6; gamma interferon; Mycobacterium antigen; unclassified drug; antigen recognition; article; clinical article; controlled study; host resistance; human; human cell; immunological memory; immunoreactivity; interferon production; lung tuberculosis; mononuclear cell; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; priority journal; Adult; Aged; Antigens, Bacterial; Bacterial Proteins; BCG Vaccine; Female; Humans; Interferon Type II; Leukocytes, Mononuclear; Lymphocyte Activation; Male; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Time Factors; Tuberculosis, Pulmonaryjournal article10.1086/323044115650732-s2.0-0035887905