title: Studies on lymphokine production in lepromatous leprosy patients.
abstract: In order to evaluate whether lymphokine (LK) release is impaired in patients with lepromatous leprosy (LL), the production of two LKs, namely leukocyte inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of LL individuals was investigated. Results show that in eight patients CD4+ cells exhibit a reduced release of LIF, while CD8+ lymphocytes are still able to secrete this LK. In the remaining three patients both CD4+ and CD8+ cells produced LIF as do normal lymphocyte subpopulations. As far as IL-2 release is concerned, all patients fail to produce the above LK either using purified CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocytes. These data emphasize additional defects in immune responsiveness in leprosy.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Immunologia, Università di Bari, Facoltà di Medicina, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Munno
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fumo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000276:immunology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D008222:Lymphokines; C010598:leukocyte inhibitory factor