title: A comparison of the expression of NGFr, PGP 9.5 and NSE in cutaneous lesions of patients with early leprosy using immunohistochemistry.
abstract: We examined the immunohistochemical expression of the neuronal proteins NGFr, PGP 9.5, and NSE in cutaneous lesions of patients with early leprosy and in the skin of normal individuals. PGP 9.5- and NSE-immunoreactive nerve fibers were decreased in the skin of leprosy patients. This reduction was topographically unrelated to the early leprosy infiltrate. However, no difference in the expression of NGFr was found between the leprosy patient and normal groups. It was shown that there is a selective alteration in the expression of neuronal proteins in early leprosy lesions which seems to be unrelated to the inflammatory infiltrate in the initial stages of leprosy. Pathogenic mechanisms other than inflammation, which are intrinsic to the Mycobacterium leprae-nerve relationship, may thus contribute to the nerve damage in leprosy neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holmkvist
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Johansson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004817:Epidermis / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis*; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase