Widespread intradermal accumulation of mononuclear leukocytes in lepromatous leprosy patients treated systemically with recombinant interferon gamma.
Intradermal administration of recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma) to lepromatous leprosy patients has converted the local histology toward a tuberculoid pattern. However, such changes have been confined to the site of injection. In contrast, in the present study, marked, intradermal accumulation of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD1a+ T cells and Leu-M5+ mononuclear phagocytes was induced at a distance from the sites of administration, in a dose-dependent manner, by 10 daily intramuscular injections of 10-30 micrograms rIFN-gamma/m2. Mononuclear cell infiltration began within 3 d of onset of rIFN-gamma therapy and persisted at least 8 wk. Intramuscular administration of rIFN-gamma to lepromatous patients receiving concurrent chemotherapy can safely induce widespread histologic features of an upgrading reaction.
Nathan
C
C
Department of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York 10021.
Squires
K
K
Griffo
W
W
Levis
W
W
Varghese
M
M
Job
C K
CK
Nusrat
A R
AR
Sherwin
S
S
Rappoport
S
S
Sanchez
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma