In vitro stimulation of lymphocytes in leprosy patients, healthy contacts of leprosy patients, and subjects not exposed to leprosy. Comparison of an antigen fraction prepared from Mycobacterium leprae and tuberculin-purified protein derivative.
In vitro lymphocyte stimulation was performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes from 48 leprosy patients, 15 healthy contacts of leprosy patients, and 16 normal controls who lived in a leprosy-free area and who had not been exposed to leprosy. Tuberculin PPD and an antigen fraction. MLW 1, prepared from M. leprae, were used as stimulants. The MLW 1 preparation contained one antibody-precipitable component when tested in crossed immunoelectrophoresis against a polyvalent anti-M. leprae immunoglobulin preparation, namely the ML 7 antigen. MLW 1 induced strong lymphocyte responses in patients with tuberculoid leprosy and healthy contacts of leprosy patients, but only a weak or no responses in lepromatous leprosy patients and non-exposed controls. A marked depression of the response to tuberculin PPD was observed in lepromatous leprosy patients. The specificity of the MLW 1 antigen is discussed, and a new estimator of specific lymphocyte stimulation, the delta cpm', is introduced.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D004306:Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D007918:Leprosy / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D000939:Epitopes; D014373:Tuberculin