Nerve and skin damage in leprosy is associated with increased intralesional heat shock protein

Abstract

SUMMARYLeprosy is frequently complicated by the development of reversal reactions in which peripheral nerve and skin lesions become inflamed and irreversible nerve damage may ensue. Increased expression of proteins belonging to the 70-kD heat shock family (hsp70) occurs in cells of the central nervous system exposed to hyperthermia, physical damage or drug-induced trauma. In the present study we have used immunocyiochemical staining to monitor hsp70 levels in peripheral nerves infected by Mycohaclerium leprae. Hsp70 was detected in skin and nerve lesions from all leprosy patients, but was particularly prominent in lesions from patients undergoing reversal reactions. Hsp70 immunocytochcmistry can thus be used as a marker of neural injury in the peripheral as well as in ilie central nervous system. The cellular dynamics of nerve damage in leprosy are currently poorly understood, and we postulate that the immunopathology of leprosy may be partly due to an autoimmune response to heat shock proteins.

Detecção de determinantes antigênicos compartilhados entre a proteína de choque térmico 65 do Mycobacterium leprae e proteína de choque térmico 60 humana

“…No presente estudo, o achado de coloração positiva com os anticorpos monoclonais anti-HSP 70 (SPA-820, SPA-815 e SPA-810) na epiderme foi relatado anteriormente por vários investigadores (BOEHNCKE et al, 1994;EDWARDS et al, 1991;TRAUTINGER et al, 1993). Khanolkar- Young et al, 1994, relataram que a HSP-70 estava expressa mais significativamente no granuloma na pele e no tecido nervoso de pacientes com hanseníase sofrendo uma RR do que naqueles pacientes sem uma RR. Usando, contudo, os mesmos MoAbs (SPA-810 e SPA-820), nós não conseguimos observar qualquer diferença na coloração do granuloma na pele nem na hanseníase PB e MB e nem na RR.…”

Recent advances in tropical medicine

“…In Columbia, an area of relatively low malaria endemicity, the vaccine had an overall protective efficacy of about 35%, being highest in young children aged 1-4 years and adults over 45 years (at 77% and 67% respectively), but disappointingly only 22% in the year age group. Three controlled trials, two in Africa (in the Gambia in children aged [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] months and in Tanzania in children aged 1-5 years) and one in Thailand (in children aged [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] years) are under way. Although safety and immunogenicity studies are promising, the efficacy of this vaccine in these areas of high transmission will not be known until August 1994.…”