Genome-Wide Screening of mRNA Expression in Leprosy Patients.

Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects millions of people worldwide. However, little is known regarding its molecular pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of human mRNA was performed on leprosy skin lesions by using DNA chip microarrays, which included the entire spectrum of the disease along with its reactional states. Sixty-six samples from leprotic lesions (10TT, 10BT, 10BB, 10BL, 4LL, 14R1, and 10R2) and nine skin biopsies from healthy individuals were used as controls (CC) (ages ranged from 06 to 83 years, 48 were male and 29 female). The evaluation identified 1580 differentially expressed mRNAs [Fold Change (FC) ≥ 2.0, p ≤ 0.05] in diseased lesions vs. healthy controls. Some of these genes were observed in all forms of the disease (CD2, CD27, chit1, FA2H, FAM26F, GZMB, MMP9, SLAMF7, UBD) and others were exclusive to reactional forms (Type "1" reaction: GPNMB, IL1B, MICAL2, FOXQ1; Type "2" reaction: AKR1B10, FAM180B, FOXQ1, NNMT, NR1D1, PTX3, TNFRSF25). In literature, these mRNAs have been associated with numerous pathophysiological processes and signaling pathways and are present in a large number of diseases. The role of these mRNAs maybe studied in the context of developing new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for leprosy.

Genome-wide screening of mRNA expression in leprosy patients

Leprosy, an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, affects millions of people worldwide. However, little is known regarding its molecular pathophysiological mechanisms. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of human mRNA was performed on leprosy skin lesions by using DNA chip microarrays, which included the entire spectrum of the disease along with its reactional states. Sixty-six samples from leprotic lesions (10TT, 10BT, 10BB, 10BL, 4LL, 14R1, and 10R2) and nine skin biopsies from healthy individuals were used as controls (CC) (ages ranged from 06 to 83 years, 48 were male and 29 female). The evaluation identified 1580 differentially expressed mRNAs [Fold Change (FC) ≥ 2.0, p ≤ 0.05] in diseased lesions vs. healthy controls. Some of these genes were observed in all forms of the disease (CD2, CD27, chit1, FA2H, FAM26F, GZMB, MMP9, SLAMF7, UBD) and others were exclusive to reactional forms (Type "1" reaction: GPNMB, IL1B, MICAL2, FOXQ1; Type "2" reaction: AKR1B10, FAM180B, FOXQ1, NNMT, NR1D1, PTX3, TNFRSF25). In literature, these mRNAs have been associated with numerous pathophysiological processes and signaling pathways and are present in a large number of diseases. The role of these mRNAs maybe studied in the context of developing new diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for leprosy.

Clinical and histological features of leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus co-infection in Brazil

BACKGROUND: Both leprosy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are infectious diseases, and are an important global health problem. Patients with leprosy who are co-infected with HIV seem to be at higher risk of developing leprosy reactions. AIM: To examine the histological features of leprosy in patients with HIV and leprosy co-infection, particularly to determine whether the typical leprosy histopathology is present in skin biopsies, and to assess the histological features of leprosy reactions in co-infected patients. METHODS: This was a matched cohort study with 11 co-infected patients and 31 HIV-negative patients with leprosy. A structured protocol for skin-biopsy evaluation was followed, focusing on inflammation of the skin and dermal nerves. RESULTS: Of the 11 HIV-positive patients, 7 (63%) had borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy and 5 (70%) of these 7 patients had developed a type 1 reaction. The lesions in these patients were immunologically active, with 100% of biopsies having evidence of compact granulomas, 90% evidence of oedema and 30% evidence of necrosis. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, patients co-infected with HIV and M. leprae had the typical histological lesions of leprosy. There was evidence of immune activation in patients who received combination antiretroviral therapy, and these patients had BT leprosy and leprosy-upgrading reactions.