Release of acid hydrolases in spectrum of human leprosy.

Release of acid hydrolases by blood monocytes (BM) of leprosy patients both before and after 6 months of chemotherapy was measured fluorimetrically. Monocyte cultures were set up for spontaneous as well as zymosan dependent enzyme release measured after 2 hrs and 24 hrs of culture. In the untreated multibacillary group (BL/LL) a significantly higher (P < 0.001) release of both B-glucuronidase (BG) and N-acetyl glucosaminidase (NAG) was observed compared to the paucibacillary group (BT/TT) and healthy controls. On comparing the BT/TT group with controls a significant decrease (P < 0.001) in zymosan dependent NAG release was observed in the former group at 2 hrs culture. After 6 months of antileprosy therapy, a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in BG release was observed from BM of multibacillary patients, whereas NAG activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the paucibacillary group compared to the controls. The results of the present study suggest that non-oxidative metabolic status of BM vary within the leprosy spectrum.

Respiratory burst metabolic status of macrophages in experimental leprosy.

Peritoneal macrophages from uninfected controls and Mycobacterium leprae infected Swiss albino mice were studied for their respiratory burst (RB) activity at different time intervals. The RB metabolic activity of macrophages declined significantly after 3 month infection using latex (p less than 0.001) and M. leprae (p less than 0.01) as stimuli. However, significant rise (p less than 0.001) in the oxidative metabolic activity was seen at 6 and 9 months postinfection period on stimulation with both the stimuli. The sharp rise in the oxidative metabolic status at peak period of infection in the experimental animals suggests that the macrophages are functionally normal though M. leprae is unable to trigger the respiratory burst sufficiently.