Selective T-Cell recognition of the N-terminal peptide of GroES in tuberculosis

Peptides derived from the whole sequence of mycobacterial GroES heat shock proteins were tested for the ability to induce the proliferation of blood mononuclear cells from tuberculosis patients and sensitized healthy subjects. The response to the N-terminal peptide (residues 1 to 16) was found to be more frequent and stronger in tuberculosis patients. This finding is exceptional, considering that recognition of all other GroES peptides by patients was either diminished or not different from that of controls.