en میکروب شناسی Microbiology <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Background:</strong></em> Mycobacterium (M.) bovis is the agent of bovine tuberculosis (TB) in a range of animal species, including humans. Recent advances in immunology and the molecular biology of Mycobacterium have allowed identification of a large number of antigens with the potential for the development of a new TB vaccine. The ESAT-6 and CFP-10 proteins of M. bovis are important structural and functional proteins known to be important immunogens.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Methods:</strong></em> In the current study, the DNAs encoding these genes were utilized in the construction of pcDNA 3.1+/ESAT-6 and pcDNA3.1+/CFP-10 plasmids. After intramuscular injection of BALB/c mice with these plasmids, ESAT-6 and CFP-10 mRNA expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Mice were inoculated and boosted with the plasmids to evaluate their effects on lymphocyte proliferation.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Results:</strong></em> Our results indicate the plasmids are expressed at the RNA level and can induce lymphocyte proliferation.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Conclusion:</strong></em> Further study is needed to characterize the effect of these antigens on the immune system and determine whether they are effective vaccine candidates against M. bovis.</p> BALB/c mice, CFP-10, DNA vaccine, ESAT-6, Mycobacterium bovis, PPD, Proliferation assay 35 41 http://rbmb.net/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-18&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Azam Torabi 10031947532846005960 10031947532846005960 No Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Mojtaba Tahmoorespour 10031947532846005961 10031947532846005961 No Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran Fatemeh Vahedi f.vahedi@rvsri.ac.ir, vahedif@yahoo.com 10031947532846005962 10031947532846005962 Yes Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Mashhad, Iran Nader Mosavari 10031947532846005963 10031947532846005963 No Department of PPD and Tuberculin production, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Karaj, Iran Mohammadreza Nassiri 10031947532846005964 10031947532846005964 No Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran