RESUMO
A long-term survey of leprosy patients of all clinical types, starting at the time of diagnosis, was carried out to monitor clinical, bacteriological and immunological parameters at regular intervals during multiple drug therapy (MDT). The patients were assigned to two groups for treatment following WHO guidelines: paucibacillary (PB) and multibacillary (MB). Immunoglobulin levels, specific antibodies, skin-test responses to different soluble mycobacterial antigens (new tuberculins), and in vitro proliferative responses to mitogens and to antigens were measured during treatment, as were clinical changes, the bacterial index, and clinical improvement. No exact relations between disease activity and IgM antibody levels, both IgM immunoglobulin and specific IgM antibody to a species-specific antigen (ND-O-BSA), could be seen for MB patients. Changes in in vitro cell-mediated immunity and skin-test response seemed to be more directly related to the bacterial load and could reflect the improvement of bacteriological and clinical parameters during MDT.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Antibacterianos/sangue , Imunoglobulinas/sangue , Hansenostáticos/uso terapêutico , Hanseníase/tratamento farmacológico , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Testes de Aglutinação , Antígenos de Bactérias/imunologia , Clofazimina/uso terapêutico , Dapsona/uso terapêutico , Quimioterapia Combinada , Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática , Humanos , Imunidade Celular , Imunoglobulina M/sangue , Hanseníase/imunologia , Hanseníase/microbiologia , Estudos Longitudinais , Ativação Linfocitária , Rifampina/uso terapêutico , Testes CutâneosRESUMO
Six monoclonal antibodies to Mycobacterium leprae and armadillo-derived mycobacteria were produced. The monoclonal antibodies were characterized by an immunofluorescence assay using 22 mycobacterial strains. One monoclonal antibody, F47-21-3, reacted only with M. leprae; two, F45-9 and F45-15, reacted only with two armadillo-derived mycobacterial strains. These six monoclonal antibodies can be used for the identification of M. leprae and armadillo-derived mycobacteria.
Assuntos
Anticorpos Monoclonais/biossíntese , Tatus/microbiologia , Mycobacterium leprae/imunologia , Mycobacterium/imunologia , Xenarthra/microbiologia , Animais , ImunofluorescênciaRESUMO
Thirty-two monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, M. bovis BCG and M. leprae were produced. The spleen cells of BALB/c mice immunized with sonicated or intact bacilli were fused with Sp2/0-Ag-14 myeloma cells. Many more antibody producing hybridomas were found when M. tuberculosis, rather than M. leprae, was used as the immunogen. The MoAb were characterized by an enzyme immunoassay and immunofluorescence on 16 mycobacterial species. The sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoperoxidase assay was used to determine the molecular weight of the antigens detected by the MoAb. Antigens of high, low and intermediate molecular weight were found. Some of the antigens were proteinaceous, others of a glycolipid nature. The immunofluorescence assay proved to be essential for the selection of MoAb since some MoAb reacted only in this assay and not in the enzyme immunoassay. The most specific clones were found in the fusions with spleen cells of mice immunized with intact rather than sonicated bacteria. One MoAb (F29-29) reacted only with M. tuberculosis H37Rv; one (F41-3) only with M. leprae and another (F29-45) reacted with M. tuberculosis and M. gastrii. Several MoAb only reacted with three mycobacterial species: M. tuberculosis, M. kansasii and M. gastrii. Others showed unique patterns of reactivity by enzyme immuno- and immunofluorescence assay. The potential use of the MoAb for the identification of mycobacteria and mycobacterial antigens is discussed.