title: T-cell conditioned media reverse T-cell unresponsiveness in lepromatous leprosy.
abstract: In some subjects the infective agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae, causes disseminated (lepromatous) disease. Such subjects have a major role in the transmission of the disease and show deficient T-cell responses both in vivo and in vitro to M. leprae, but not to other antigens. Numerous studies have recently shown that T cells with functional capabilities after initial triggering with antigen can be maintained in a state of continuous proliferation in vitro when cultured in medium containing interleukin 2 (IL-2). Here we have studied the effect of IL-2 rich T-cell conditioned medium on lepromatous peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our results show that although lepromatous T cells fail to produce IL-2 after exposure to M. leprae they can respond by proliferation to M. leprae in the presence of T-cell conditioned medium, suggesting that the unresponsiveness in lepromatous leprosy results from a deficiency in the production of IL-2 or related factors and not a lack of M. leprae-reactive T cells.
mesh_terms: D003470:Culture Media; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007376:Interleukin-2