Flagellin contamination of recombinant heat shock protein 70 is responsible for its activity on T cells.

Abstract Heat shock proteins (Hsp) 60 and 70 have been intensively studied for their ability to activate innate immunity. Heat shock proteins had been shown to induce the activation of dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells. However, the possible contamination of endotoxin in heat shock protein preparations makes their function as an activator of immune system ambiguous. Here, we examined the ability of bacterial Hsp60 and Hsp70 to activate Jurkat T cells and primary T cells. We found that Burkholderia pseudomallei Hsp70 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hsp70 could costimulate Jurkat T cells to make IL-2 and signal through TLR5. This costimulatory activity is not due to endotoxin or contaminants signaling via TLR2 nor TLR4. However, recombinant Hsp70 expressed in Escherichia coli ΔfliC strain completely lost its ability to costimulate T cells. Thus, the activation of T cells by recombinant Hsp70 is ascribed to flagellin contamination.