Lepromatous Leprosy Treated With Recombinant Interferon Gamma: Cutaneous Histologic Changes

Abstract

We report on the histologic changes occurring in single cutaneous lesions, from six active lepromatous patients, 1 week following the administration of three daily intradermal injections, 35 micrograms each, of recombinant interferon gamma (rIFN-gamma). Except for a strong induration at the injection site, rIFN-gamma produced no adverse systemic reactions and was able to promote a remarkable influx of T-lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes with large nuclei, nonvacuolated cytoplasm, and reduced lysozyme reactivity. Furthermore, despite no clear-cut reduction of mycobacterial dermal burden, bacilli showed a clear increase in the granular appearance. Present findings provide a basis for further elucidation of rIFN-gamma as an additional tool for leprosy treatment.

Off-label uses of biologics in dermatology: Interferon and intravenous immunoglobulin (Part 1 of 2)

“…[136][137][138] A large study involving 22 patients, however, failed to achieve this effect. 139 Furthermore, interferon gamma may induce erythema nodosum leprosum.…”

“…139 Furthermore, interferon gamma may induce erythema nodosum leprosum. [138][139][140] Therefore, interferon gamma does not appear to be a useful adjunct in the treatment of leprosy.…”

Interferons: Mechanisms, Biological Activities and Survey of their Use in Human Diseases

“…There is current evidence that IFNs have also beneficial effects in viral disorders (HBV, HCV, HPV) and mutiple sclerosis. Likewise, promi-sing results have been reported in Phase I/II clinical trials with IFN-α2b in other diseases (including lymphomatoid granulomatosis, glioma, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, lepromatous leprosy) [17,19,49,81,107,149].…”

Immunochemotherapy with interferon-γ and multidrug therapy for multibacillary leprosy

“…Leprosy treatment however can benefit from the reduction of length, and ideally by the possibility of killing 'persistent' organisms. The lack of IFN-g production by LL patients' lymphocytes prompted investigators to use this cytokine in the treatment of multibacillary leprosy (Nathan et al, 1986;Kaplan et al, 1989;Nathan et al, 1990;Botasso et al, 1992;Damasco et al, 1992;Sampaio et al, 1992;SivaSai et al, 1993;Sampaio et al, 1996). In this study we evaluated the use of IFN-g, associated with MDT, in the treatment of multibacillary leprosy, and monitored several clinical and immunological parameters during the course of treatment.…”