title: Analysis of circulating immune complexes from leprosy patients for Mycobacterium leprae antigens.
abstract: Circulating immune complexes (CICs) from 31 leprosy patients (16 tuberculoid, 15 lepromatous) and 12 healthy volunteers, precipitated by 3.5% polyethylene glycol, were individually subjected to SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting using a variety of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae. A common mycobacterial antigen of an apparent molecular size of 65 kDa was identified in CICs from about 40% of the patients. No correlation was observed between the positivity for this antigen and any of the following parameters: bacterial index, M. leprae-specific antibody titers, motor nerve involvement, duration of disease or treatment. Nevertheless, patients with a relatively recent and massive infection were more frequently positive for antigen than the others.
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000276:immunology*; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000276:immunology; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000939:Epitopes