Immunohistochemical characterization of the M4 macrophage population in leprosy skin lesions.
BMC Infect Dis
; 18(1): 576, 2018 Nov 15.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30442123
BACKGROUND: Since macrophages are one of the major cell types involved in the Mycobacterium leprae immune response, roles of the M1 and M2 macrophage subpopulations have been well defined. However, the role of M4 macrophages in leprosy or other infectious diseases caused by mycobacteria has not yet been clearly characterized. This study aimed to investigate the presence and potential role of M4 macrophages in the immunopathology of leprosy. METHODS: We analyzed the presence of M4 macrophage markers (CD68, MRP8, MMP7, IL-6, and TNF-α) in 33 leprosy skin lesion samples from 18 patients with tuberculoid leprosy and 15 with lepromatous leprosy by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The M4 phenotype was more strongly expressed in patients with the lepromatous form of the disease, indicating that this subpopulation is less effective in the elimination of the bacillus and consequently is associated with the evolution to one of the multibacillary clinical forms of infection. CONCLUSION: M4 macrophages are one of the cell types involved in the microbial response to M. leprae and probably are less effective in controlling bacillus replication, contributing to the evolution to the lepromatous form of the disease.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Health context:
2_ODS3
/
3_ND
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Skin
/
Skin Diseases
/
Leprosy
/
Macrophages
/
Mycobacterium leprae
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Language:
En
Journal:
BMC Infect Dis
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article