In vitro and skin lesion cytokine profile in Brazilian patients with borderline tuberculoid and borderline lepromatous leprosy

• Published in: Leprosy review Vol. 82; no. 1; pp. 25 - 35
• Main Authors: VENTURINI, James, TEIXEIRA SOARES, Cléverson, DE FARIA FERNANDES BELONE, Andréa, ANTONIO BARRETO, Jaison, URA, Somei, PEREIRA LAURIS, José Roberto, REGINA VILANI-MORENO, Fatima
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester LEPRA 01.03.2011; British Leprosy Relief Association
• Subjects: Antigens; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - metabolism; Biopsy; Brazil - epidemiology; Cytokines - metabolism; Dermatology; Female; General aspects; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infectious diseases; Interferon; Interferon-gamma - metabolism; Interleukin-10 - metabolism; Leprosy; Leprosy, Borderline - epidemiology; Leprosy, Borderline - metabolism; Leprosy, Lepromatous - epidemiology; Leprosy, Lepromatous - metabolism; Leprosy, Tuberculoid - epidemiology; Leprosy, Tuberculoid - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Skin; Statistics, Nonparametric; Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism; Transforming growth factors; Tropical bacterial diseases; Tumor necrosis factor; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; South America; Brazil; America; Infection; Human; Tuberculoid leprosy; Skin disease; Dermatology; Cytokine; Bacteriosis; Tropical medicine; Mycobacterial infection; Lepromatous leprosy; In vitro; Borderline leprosy
• ISSN: 0305-7518; 2162-8807

We investigated the in vitro and skin lesions production of cytokines in non-treated borderline tuberculoid (BT) and borderline lepromatous (BL) patients. Seven untreated, non-reactional BT patients and 12 untreated, non-reactional BL patients were studied. Levels of the cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta1 and TNF-alpha were measured in supernantant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures, stimulated with specific M. leprae antigen (sonicated and whole). The cytokines iNOS, IL-10 and TGF-beta1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in skin biopsies. BT patients produced higher levels of IFN-gamma than BL patients; iNOS expression in skin lesions was also higher in BT patients. TGF-beta1 was detected in more cells in BL patients; IL-10 expression was similar in both groups. There was a negative correlation between iNOS and TGF-beta1 expression in skin biopsies, positive correlation between TGF-beta1 in skin lesions and bacillary index, as well as positive correlation between iNOS detected in skin biopsies and PBMC IFN-gamma production. The BT patients had a mainly a Th1-profile of cytokines in their skin lesions and BL patients had a Th2 profile.