Group specific component (Gc) in erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL).

The distribution of phenotypes of group specific component (Gc) was examined in 71 lepromatous leprosy (LL) patients without any history of ENL reaction and 65 LL patients with history of frequent episodes of ENL reaction. The distribution of none of the phenotypes of Gc (Gc 1-1, Gc 2-1, Gc 2-2) was statistically significant among these groups.

Dermatoglyphics in leprosy: (III) Creases of palm.

Palmar configurations of triradii and creases of 100 leprosy patients [50 lepromatous (BL/LL) and 50 tuberculoid (BT/LL)] were compared with those of 100 normal persons selected from families of these patients. The patterns of position of triradii were similar in controls and leprosy patients as such. But, the patterns in the two types of leprosy patients were different. As for palmar creases patterns, there was significant difference between those of controls and patients, double radial base crease occurring more often in patients. However, the differences between the two types of patients were not statistically significant.

Effect of leprosy sera and foetal calf serum (FCS) on the T cell number of peripheral blood of leprosy patients.

Study was conducted in 24 cases of various types of leprosy and 10 healthy controls to find out the effect of various sera on the T cell count of peripheral blood lymphocytes by sheep erythrocyte rosetting method. The percentage of T lymphocytes in lepromatous and tuberculoid cases were significantly lower compared to that in normal healthy controls. All sera except FCS had a stimulatory effect on the number of T cells. The cells incubated for 24 hours in FCS did not show any stimulatory effect on the number of T cells, however, these FCS incubated cells showed a significant elevation in the number of T cells when further incubated in sera either from leprosy cases or from healthy subjects.

Dermatoglyphics in leprosy (II Metric analysis of palms).

A group of 100 leprosy patients consisting of 50 lepromatous (BL/LL) and 50 tuberculoid (BT/TT) were investigated for metric analysis of the patterns present on their palms. Hundred normal persons were also selected from the families of patients to serve as controls. BT/TT patients and controls did not show any significant difference in their palmar patterns. On the other hand, significant differences were observed in the patterns between BL/LL patients and controls.

Dermatoglyphics in leprosy (I. Finger patterns).

Finger dermatoglyphic patterns were studied in leprosy families selecting patients and controls from each family. A total of 100 leprosy cases (50 of TT/BT types and 50 of BL/LL types) and 100 control subjects were investigated. While a statistically significant association was noted with some finger patterns (loop ulnar, loop radial, loop twin and loop central pocket) in the lepromatous type, no such association was observed with the finger patterns in the tuberculoid type.

Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced transformation of peripheral blood-lymphocytes in leprosy patients.

101 patients belonging to different types of leprosy were investigated for PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation in peripheral blood. There was a significant depression (P < 0.05) in blastogenesis in borderline (BB), borderline lepromatous (BL) and lepromatous (LL) patients. On the other hand, tuberculoid (TT) and borderline tuberculoid (BT) patients did not show any alteration in PHA-induced blastogenesis (P > 0.05) when compared to normal. The significance of these findings have been discussed.

In vitro effect of DDS on phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)--induced lymphocyte transformation.

A study to find out the in vitro effect of diamino diphenyl sulphone (DDS) on phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte transformation was carried out in three phases using a wide range of DDS concentrations. Lymphocytes from healthy volunteers were investigated. Volunteers were divided into three groups to conduct the study in three phases. In each phase in addition to 0.02 ml of PHA, 4 different concentrations of DDS were added per 10(6) lymphocytes in tissue culture system. A statistically significant depression (P less than 0.05) in the per cent of blast cell formation induced by PHA was observed in the cultures with all the concentrations of DDS except with the lowest concentration (0.01 microgram) of DDS. While the depression observed in the first and the third phase was found to be dose dependent, no significant correlation was noted between the DDS concentration and depression in PHA induced blastogenesis in the second phase. The significance of these observations are discussed.

In vivo effect of DDS on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte transformation cultures in normal healthy volunteers.

Depression in PHA-induced lymphocyte transformation in peripheral blood has been observed in 15 healthy volunteers after administration of DDS (100 mg/day) for seven days. In vitro culture of lymphocytes obtained from these volunteers in DDS-free normal AB serum has not altered the blast cell numbers. Lymphocytes of these volunteers have been found to contain a significant amount of DDS, ranging from 0.42 to 3.2 micrograms per 10.6 lymphocytes.

Histocompatibility antigens (HL-A) in leprosy.

HL-A antigens of 70 leprosy patients and 40 normal healthy individuals were determined by the standard microlymphocytotoxicity test. Both lepromatous and non-lepromatous leprosy patients were tested for the presence of 11 HL-A antigens, and the frequency of each specificity was compared with that in a normal population of the same ethnic group. Although the statistical significance of HL-A8 specificity was found to be marginal in lepromatous leprosy patients, when using ordinary 2 times 2 statistics, there did seem to be a decreased frequency of HL-A9 among the non-lepromatous type. Other antigens tested did not reveal any significant differences between the two groups of subjects.

Immune status of subsided cases of tuberculoid (TT) and borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy.

A comparative study of lepromin reactions (early and late), M. leprae induced lymphocyte blastogenesis, per cent T Cell number in peripheral blood and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA and IgM) levels have been made in TT-active, TT-subsided, BT-active and BT-subsided leprosy cases. No significant difference has been noted amongst these groups in the above mentioned investigations except in subsided BT cases where 9 out of 11 cases failed to evoke any late skin reaction to Dharmendra antigen. In addition, BT subsided cases also showed significantly raised levels of IgG. The significance of these findings with respect to their immunity and reinfection has been discussed.

In vitro effect of DDS on phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) induced linphocyte transformation

Estudou-se o efeito do DDS, sobre a transformaçao linfocitaria estimulada pela PHA, in vitro, utilisando-se concentraçoes variaveis de DDS. Os linfocitos foram doados por voluntarios, divididos em tres gupos, e o estudo foi desenvolvido em tres fases. Foram empregadas 4 concentraçoes diferentes de DDS para 10 a sexta de linfocitos em cultura de tecidos alem de 0,02 ml de PHA. Foi observada uma diminuiçao estatisticamente significativa (P<0,05) no percentual de formaçao de celulas blasticas induzida pela PHA com todas as concentraçoes de DDS, exceto com a concentraçao mais baixa (0,01 ug de DDS). Enquanto que a diminuiçao observada na primeira e na terceira fases mostrou-se dependente de dose de DDS, na segunda fase nao se encontrou correlaçao significativa entre a concentraçao de DDS e a depressao da blastogenese induzida pela PHA. Discute-se a significancia destas observaçoes.