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

• Autor(a) principal: Venturini, James [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2011
• Outros Autores: Soares, Cléverson Teixeira, Belone, Andréa de Faria Fernandes, Barreto, Jaison Antonio, Ura, Somei, Lauris, José Roberto Pereira, Vilani-Moreno, Fátima Regina
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/11449/219653

Objective: We investigated the in vitro and skin lesions production of cytokines in non-treated borderline tuberculoid (BT) and borderline lepromatous (BL) patients. Patients and Methods: Seven untreated, non-reactional BT patients and 12 untreated, non-reactional BL patients were studied. Levels of the cytokines IFN-γ, IL-10, TGF-β1 and TNF-α 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-β1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in skin biopsies. Results: BT patients produced higher levels of IFN-γ than BL patients; iNOS expression in skin lesions was also higher in BT patients. TGF-β1 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-β1 expression in skin biopsies, positive correlation between TGF-b1 in skin lesions and bacillary index, as well as positive correlation between iNOS detected in skin biopsies and PBMC IFN- γ production. Conclusions: The BT patients had a mainly a Th1-profile of cytokines in their skin lesions and BL patients had aTh2 profile. © Lepra.