Evaluation of granulysin and perforin as candidate biomarkers for protection following vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis BCG or M. bovisDeltaRD1.

The development of improved vaccines against tuberculosis (TB) is directly linked to the investigation of new and better correlates of protection after vaccination against TB. Cloning and characterization of bovine homologues of the antimicrobial protein granulysin (Bo-lysin) and perforin by our group could be used as potential biomarkers for TB vaccination efficacy. In the present study, we examined the kinetics of granulysin, perforin, IFNgamma and Fas-L responses to Mycobacterium bovis purified protein derivative (PPD) stimulation by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from M.

Early production of type I interferon during West Nile virus infection: role for lymphoid tissues in IRF3-independent interferon production.

Infection of cells with flaviviruses in vitro is reduced by pretreatment with small amounts of type I interferon (IFN-alpha/beta). Similarly, pretreatment of animals with IFN and experiments using mice defective in IFN signaling have indicated a role for IFN in controlling flavivirus disease in vivo. These data, along with findings that flavivirus-infected cells block IFN signaling, suggest that flavivirus infection can trigger an IFN response.