title: The role of macrophages in the lymphoproliferative response to Mycobacterium leprae in vitro.
abstract: Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients suffering from lepromatous leprosy do not normally react in vitro to stimulation by Mycobacterium leprae antigens. In contrast, we found that T cells from non-responding patients in combination with macrophages from responding patients or healthy contacts did respond well to M. leprae. Conversely, T cells from responding patients or healthy contacts in combinations with macrophages from non-responding patients failed to respond. It seems, therefore, that the lack of response normally observed in in vitro tests using cells from lepromatous leprosy patients is due to a failure of their macrophages to present M. leprae antigens in an immunogenic form.
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial