title: [Serological and cellular reactivity to mycobacterial proteins in Hansen's disease].
abstract: The study was designed for evaluating immunological reactivity to various mycobacterial protein preparations using serological and cell-mediated immunological tests in patients with clinical leprosy signs, predominantly, with the multibacillary forms. All patients were adults with ages between 20 and 30 years. Fifty eight (n = 81) percent corresponded to Lepromatous Leprosy (LL), 29% (n = 41) to Borderline Lepromatous Leprosy (BL) and 10% (n = 41) to Borderline Borderline Leprosy (BB); only 3% were Borderline Tuberculoid (BT) patients: 74% males and 26% females. The most frequent reactional phenomenon was of the Erythema Nodosum (ENL) type. The mycobacterial proteins tested were: total crude Mycobacterium leprae antigens (MISA); Mycobacterium bovis (MbSA and excretion MbSA); partially purified excretion protein antigen, with a 30 kDa relative movility (Ml30); and recombinant M. leprae proteins (Mt70, Mb 65, Ml 36, 28, 18 and 10 kDa). Two of the recombinant proteins (Ml10 and Ml 36 kDa) presented a statiscally significant higher serological reactivity, directly related with a larger bacillary load (p = 0.0051 and 0.050 respectively). The 30 kDa protein was predominantly recognized by antibodies from multibacillary patients. Results show that mean antibody values were higher in non reactional patients when tested against complete proteins (MbSA and ex MbSA) when compared with the group of patients who presented reactional phenomena (p = 0.000567 and 0.000061, respectively). Comparing reactional with non reactional patients, it was seen that mean antibody values against complete proteins (MbSA and ex MbSA) were higher in non reactional individuals (p = 0.000567 and 0.000061, respectively). This same behavior occurred towards individual mycobacterial proteins (30, 10 and 36 kDa). The T lymphocyte prolypherative response in reactional and non reactional patients towards mycobacterial proteins (MlSA, Ml 10 kDa, MbSA, ex MbSA) was negative.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biomedicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Salud, Caracas, Venezuela. elsa.rada@gmail.com
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rada
authors.forename: Nacarid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aranzazu
authors.forename: Vestalia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Jacinto
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Convit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009167:Mycobacterium lepraemurium / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins