title: [The SLAM-associated protein (SAP) regulates IFN-gamma expression in leprosy].
abstract: The SLAM-associated protein (SAP) regulates IFN-gamma expression in leprosy. Tuberculoid leprosy patients locally produce Th1 cytokines, while lepromatous patients produce Th2 cytokines. Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) and the SLAM-associated protein (SAP) participate in the differentiation process that leads to the production of specific patterns of cytokines by activated T cells. To investigate the SLAM/SAP pathway in M. leprae infection, we determined the expression of SAP, IFN-gamma and SLAM RNA messenger in leprosy patients. We found a direct correlation of SLAM expression with IFN-gamma expression, whereas the expression of SAP was inversely correlated with the expression of both SLAM and IFN-gamma. Therefore, our data indicate that SAP might interfere with Th1 cytokine responses while SLAM expression may contribute to Th1 responses in leprosy. This study further suggests that the SLAM/SAP pathway might be a focal point for therapeutic modulation of T cell cytokine responses in diseases characterized by dysfunctional Th2 responses.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología y Laboratorio de Immunogenética, Hospital de Clínicas José de San Martin, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Quiroga
authors.forename: Gustavo J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pasquinelli
authors.forename: Verónica E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000276:immunology*; D015441:Leprosy, Tuberculoid / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000071177:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000071177:Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 1; D007371:Interferon-gamma