Humoral Immunity in Leprosy: Immunoglobulin G and M Antibody Responses to Mycobacterium Leprae in Relation to Various Disease Patterns

Overview

Journal Infect Immun

Publisher American Society for Microbiology

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 1982 Jun 1

PMID 7047400

Citations 9

Authors

J Touw

E M Langendijk

G L Stoner

A Belehu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay, applying whole Mycobacterium leprae as antigen and radiolabeled protein A from Staphylococcus aureus as antibody-detecting reagent, was used for the determination of specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibody responses in leprosy patients. High IgG anti-M. leprae antibody levels were found in lepromatous leprosy patients, whereas the antibody response in tuberculoid leprosy patients varied from negative, i.e., comparable with responses measured in normal individuals, to strongly positive. In tuberculoid leprosy patients, a significant increase in IgG anti-M. leprae antibody levels was observed in the more widespread forms of the disease, but positive antibody responses were especially predominant among patients with active lesions. Lepromatous leprosy patients generally demonstrated high levels of both IgG and IgM anti-M. leprae antibodies, but no relation was found between the antibody responses and bacillary load or other clinical parameters. A marked decrease in specific IgG and IgM antibody levels was observed in lepromatous leprosy patients during their first year of treatment. Differences in mechanisms regulating the humoral immune response in tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy patients were indicated, and the application of antibody assessments in leprosy control programs is discussed.

Citing Articles

Differential Expression of IFN-, IL-10, TLR1, and TLR2 and Their Potential Effects on Downgrading Leprosy Reaction and Erythema Nodosum Leprosum.

Antunes D, Goulart I, Lima M, Alves P, Tavares P, Goulart L J Immunol Res. 2019; 2019:3405103.

PMID: 31781675 PMC: 6875386. DOI: 10.1155/2019/3405103.

Increased activated memory B-cells in the peripheral blood of patients with erythema nodosum leprosum reactions.

Negera E, Walker S, Bekele Y, Dockrell H, Lockwood D PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2017; 11(12):e0006121.

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A role for natural antibody in the pathogenesis of leprosy: antibody in nonimmune serum mediates C3 fixation to the Mycobacterium leprae surface and hence phagocytosis by human mononuclear phagocytes.

Schlesinger L, Horwitz M Infect Immun. 1994; 62(1):280-9.

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Serological activity of a characteristic phenolic glycolipid from Mycobacterium leprae in sera from patients with leprosy and tuberculosis.

Brett S, Draper P, Payne S, Rees R Clin Exp Immunol. 1983; 52(2):271-9.

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Analysis of the major antigenic determinants of the characteristic phenolic glycolipid from Mycobacterium leprae.

Brett S, Payne S, Draper P, GIGG R Clin Exp Immunol. 1984; 56(1):89-96.

PMID: 6201310 PMC: 1535970.

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