title: Expression analysis of proteases of Mycobacterium leprae in human skin lesions.
abstract: Proteases are commonly involved in bacterial pathogenesis and their inhibition has represented a successful therapeutic approach to treat infectious diseases. However, there is little information on the role of proteases in the pathogenesis of Mycobacteria. Five of these genes, three coding for putative secreted proteases, were selected in the present study to investigate their expression in Mycobacterium leprae isolated from skin biopsies of multibacillary leprosy patients. Via nested-PCR, it was demonstrated that mycP1 or ML0041, htrA2 or ML0176, htrA4 or ML2659, gcp or ML0379 and clpC or ML0235 are transcribed in vivo during the course of human infection. Moreover, the expression of Gcp in leprosy lesions was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry using a specific hyperimmune serum. This observation reinforces the potential role of mycobacterial proteases in the context of leprosy pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Microbiology, Department of Mycobacterioses-Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Michelle Lopes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Guimarães
authors.forename: Antonio Jorge
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Tempone
authors.forename: Julio Jablonski
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: Jose Augusto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Nery
authors.forename: Sergio Luiz
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gomes Antunes
authors.forename: Maria Cristina Vidal
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pessolani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases