CD8+ T lymphocytes against mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is again a global health problem. Identification and characterization of the correlates of protective immunity against TB is critical for the rationale design of novel TB vaccines. There is accumulating data that CD8+ T lymphocytes are involved in the immune response against mycobacteria. Here the current state of the art is reviewed with respect to phenotype, specificity and effector mechanisms of mycobacteria-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes. In addition, the first listing is presented of mycobacteria-derived CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes containing sequences published up to the end of 1998.