In vitro stimulation of lymphocytes in leprosy patients, healthy contacts of leprosy patients, and subjects not exposed to leprosy. Comparison of an antigen fraction prepared from Mycobacterium leprae and tuberculin-purified protein derivative.
Scand J Immunol
; 16(2): 103-15, 1982 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-6182610
ABSTRACT
In vitro lymphocyte stimulation was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes from 48 leprosy patients, 15 healthy contacts of leprosy patients, and 16 normal controls who lived in a leprosy-free area and who had not been exposed to leprosy. Tuberculin PPD and an antigen fraction. MLW 1, prepared from M. leprae, were used as stimulants. The MLW 1 preparation contained one antibody-precipitable component when tested in crossed immunoelectrophoresis against a polyvalent anti-M. leprae immunoglobulin preparation, namely the ML 7 antigen. MLW 1 induced strong lymphocyte responses in patients with tuberculoid leprosy and healthy contacts of leprosy patients, but only a weak or no responses in lepromatous leprosy patients and non-exposed controls. A marked depression of the response to tuberculin PPD was observed in lepromatous leprosy patients. The specificity of the MLW 1 antigen is discussed, and a new estimator of specific lymphocyte stimulation, the delta cpm', is introduced.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Tuberculin
/
Lymphocyte Activation
/
Leprosy
/
Antigens, Bacterial
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Animals
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Scand J Immunol
Year:
1982
Document type:
Article