title: Adrenocortical hormones and interleukin patterns in leprosy.
abstract: The functional status of adrenocortical hormones and their relationship to the pattern of inflammatory cytokines in the lepromatous and tuberculoid poles of leprosy were investigated. Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plasma levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) were significantly higher in LL/BL (lepromatous) leprosy patients than in control subjects. There was a significant positive correlation between IL-6 and TNF-alpha plasma levels and ESR and CRP concentrations. IL-1beta was positively correlated with ESR but not with CRP. Both baseline and stimulated adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol plasma levels were not different between patients and control subjects. In contrast, adrenal androgen dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) plasma levels were significantly lower in leprosy patients than in sex-matched control subjects. There was a significant inverse correlation between DHEA-S and IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP concentrations. This finding may be of pathogenetic significance in this disease and in other inflammatory states.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto - USP, SP, Brazil 14049-900. leal10@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Angela M O
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Patrícia K R
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Cacilda S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Norma T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Foss
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015439:Leprosy, Borderline / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015440:Leprosy, Lepromatous / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D007378:Interleukins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006854:Hydrocortisone