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Rationale: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death, and the role of T-cell responses to control Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections is well recognized. Patients with latent TB infection develop strong IFN-γ responses to the protective antigen heparin-binding hemagglutinin (HBHA), whereas patients with active TB do not.

Objectives: We investigated the mechanism of this difference and evaluated the possible involvement of regulatory T (Treg) cells and/or cytokines in the low HBHA T-cell responses of patients with active TB.

Methods: The impact of anti–transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and anti–IL-10 antibodies and of Treg cell depletion on the HBHA-induced IFN-γ secretion was analyzed, and the Treg cell phenotype was characterized by flow cytometry.

Measurements and Main Results: Although the addition of anti–TGF-β or anti–IL-10 antibodies had no effect on the HBHA-induced IFN-γ secretion in …