Latency-Associated Peptide of Transforming Growth Factor β Enhances Mycobacteriocidal Immunity in the Lung during Mycobacterium bovis BCG Infection in C57BL/6 Mice

Latency-associated peptide of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) (LAP) was used to determine whether in vivo modulation of TGF-β bioactivity enhanced pulmonary immunity to Mycobacterium bovis BCG infection in C57BL/6 mice. LAP decreased BCG growth in the lung and enhanced antigen-specific T-cell proliferation and gamma interferon mRNA expression. Thus, susceptibility of the lung to primary BCG infection may be partially mediated by the immunosuppressive effects of TGF-β.