title: Oral coinfection can stress peripheral lymphocyte to inflammatory activity in leprosy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study evaluated the intracellular profile of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from leprosy patients based on oral infections presence to determine whether these coinfections could be associated with pro-inflammatory activity in leprosy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Leprosy patients regardless of clinical form and specific leprosy treatment (n=38) were divided into two groups: Group I - leprosy patients with oral infections (n=19), and Group II - leprosy patients without oral infections (n=19). Non-leprosy patients presenting oral infections were assigned to the control Group (n=10). Intracellular IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ production was evaluated by flow cytometry (FACS) before and 7 days after controlling the oral infection in the Group I, before and 7 days after dental prophylaxis in the Group II, and during oral infection process in control Group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Low percentages of CD3+ lymphocytes bearing IL-2, IL-10 and IFN-γ were observed in the Group I and Group II at baseline and 7 days after therapy or prophylaxis compared to controls. Group I showed reduced percentages of IL-4 at baseline and 7 days after therapy compared to controls, or at baseline of Group II, and the Group II showed reduced percentages of CD3+ cells bearing IL-4 compared to control. An increase of the percentages of CD3+cells bearing IL-4 was observed in the Group I after the oral infections treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occurrence of oral infections favors the intracellular cytokines expression and, probably, the inflammatory reaction operating as a stimulatory signal triggering the leprosy reactions.
authors.affiliation: Divisão de Dermatologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil. anacfm@usp.br
authors.forename: Ana Carolina Fragoso
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: João Carlos Lopes
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Simão
authors.forename: Renata Bazan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Furini
authors.forename: Maria Aparecida Nunes
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Patrícia Vianna Bonini
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.forename: Marilena Chinali
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Komesu
authors.forename: Norma Tiraboschi
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Foss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060085:Coinfection / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007918:Leprosy / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma