title: Antibodies to Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific epitopes in lepromatous leprosy.
abstract: Sera from patients with leprosy or tuberculosis and healthy subjects have been analysed for the presence of antibodies to four species-specific mycobacterial epitopes, four different viruses and five autoantigens. Antibodies to the Mycobacterium leprae-specific 35-kD protein and phenolic glycolipid I epitopes were not present in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. In contrast, antibody levels to species-specific epitopes of the 38-kD and 14-kD antigens M. tuberculosis were significantly elevated in patients with lepromatous leprosy. Neither of the two antigens is cross-reactive with M. leprae at the B cell level. However, it was considered that cross-reactive helper T cells could recall the response of M. tuberculosis-specific memory B cells, which had been primed through prior self-healing tuberculous infection. As an alternative explanation, the possible role of polyclonal B cell stimulation was considered. This seemed unlikely, however, since: (i) antibody levels to autoantigens, except anti-smooth muscle, were not elevated, and (ii) antibody levels to four distinct viruses, unlike those to all mycobacterial epitopes, showed no correlation with titres, to M. tuberculosis-specific epitopes.
authors.affiliation: Infections Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bothamley
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elsaghier
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ivanyi
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000276:immunology; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000276:immunology*; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000276:immunology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000276:immunology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000276:immunology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D010295:Parietal Cells, Gastric / Q000276:immunology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor