Use of anti-PGL-1 antibodies to monitor therapy regimes in leprosy patients.
The suitability of IgM antibodies to PGL-1 for monitoring the response to multidrug therapy (MDT) was sequentially tested by ELISA in 105 leprosy patients, and bacterial indexes (BI) were also determined. Patients were divided into 3 groups: group 1, 34 multibacillary (MB) patients treated for 12 months with MDT-MB; group 2, 33 MB patients treated for 24 months with MDT-MB, and group 3, 38 paucibacillary (PB) patients treated for 6 months with MDT-PB. Untreated MB patients exhibited higher antibody levels (mean +/- SEM): group 1 (6.95 +/- 1.35) and group 2 (12.53 +/- 2.02) than untreated PB patients (1.28 +/- 0.35). There was a significant difference (P < 0.01) in anti-PGL-1 levels in group 1 patients: untreated (6.95 +/- 1.35) and treated for 12 months (2.78 +/- 0.69) and in group 2 patients: untreated (12.53 +/- 2.02) and treated for 24 months (2.62 +/- 0.79). There was no significant difference between untreated (1.28 +/- 0.35) and treated (0.62 +/- 0.12) PB patients. Antibody levels correlated with BI. The correlation coefficient (Pearson's r) was 0.72 before and 0.23 (P < 0.05) after treatment in group 1 and 0.67 before and 0.96 (P < 0.05) after treatment in group 2. BI was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) after 12 and 24 months on MDT (group 1: 1.26-0.26; group 2: 1.66-0.36). Our data indicate that monitoring anti-PGL-1 levels during MDT may be a sensitive tool for evaluating treatment efficacy. These data also indicate that the control of leprosy infection can be obtained with 12 months of MDT in MB patients.
Disciplina de Dermatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil.
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D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007918:Leprosy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D006017:Glycolipids; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007917:Leprostatic Agents; C045169:phenolic glycolipid I, Mycobacterium leprae