Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

T-Lymphocytes in Leprosy Lesions

  • Conference paper
T-Cell Paradigms in Parasitic and Bacterial Infections

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology ((CT MICROBIOLOGY,volume 155))

Abstract

Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, has provided extraordinary possibilities for gaining insight into immunoregulatory mechanisms in man (Bloom 1986). The disease is not a single entity but rather presents a spectrum of clinical and histopathological manifestations that correlate extraordinarily well with cell-mediated immunity (Ridley and Jopling 1966). Patients at the tuberculoid end of the spectrum characteristically have few localized lesions, containing rare organisms, and mount a strong cell-mediated immune response that ultimately kills and clears the bacilli. At the other end of the spectrum, patients with the lepromatous form have numerous disseminated skin lesions containing enormously high numbers of acid-fast bacilli and show specific immunological unresponsiveness to antigens of M. leprae, in vivo and in vitro (Bloom and Mehra 1984). Antibodies to M. leprae are found throughout the spectrum, the highest levels occurring in the lepromatous disease, indicating that they are unlikely to play a major role in protection. On the other hand, there is a striking inverse correlation between level of cell-mediated immunity to antigens of M. leprae and the growth of the organism in the tissues. The selective and specific cell-mediated unresponsiveness at the lepromatous end of the spectrum to antigens of M. leprae, provides a unique opportunity for exploring mechanisms of tolerance in man (Bloom and Mehra 1984).

Supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (AI22553, AI07118, AI02111, AI23545), the UNDP/World Bank/World Health Organization Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (IMMLEP and THELEP), National Hansen’s Disease Center, Knights of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, and the Drown Foundation

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abou-Zeid C, Filley E, Steele J, Rook GAW (1987) A simple new method for using antigens separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to stimulate lymphocytes in vitro after converting bands cut from western blots into antigen-bearing particles. J Immunol Methods 98: 5–10.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beverley PCL (1986) Human T cells subsets. Immunol Lett 14: 263–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom BR (1986) Learning from leprosy: a perspective on immunology and the third world. J Immunol 137: i–x.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom BR, Mehra V (1984) Immunological unresponsiveness in leprosy. Immunol Rev 80: 5–28.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brenner MB, McLean J, Dialynas DP, Strominger JL, Smith JA, Owen FL, Seidman JG, Ip S, Rosen F, Krangel MS (1986) Identification of a putative second T-cell receptor. Nature 322: 145–149.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper CL, Muller C, Sinchaisri T-A, Pirmez C, Chan J, Kaplan G, Young SMM, Weissman IL, Bloom BR, Rea TH, Modlin RL (1989) Analysis of naturally occurring delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions in leprosy by in situ hybridization. J Exp Med 169: 1565–1581.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson WS, Verret CR, Reilly EB, Iannini MJ, Eisen HN (1988) Serine esterase and hemolytic activity in human cloned cytotoxic T lymphocytes. J Exp Med 167: 528–540.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter SW, McNeil M, Modlin RL, Mehra V, Bloom BR, Brennan PJ (1989) Isolation and characterization of the highly immunogenic cell wall-associated proteins of Mycobacterium leprae. J Immunol 142: 2873–2878.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kato H, Sanada K, Koseki M, Ozawa T (1983) Identification of lymphocyte subpopulations in cutaneous lesions of leprosy. Nippon Rai Gakkai Zasshi 52: 126–132.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufmann SHE, Hug E, Vath U, DeLibero G (1987) Specific lysis of Listeria monocytogenes-infected macrophages by class II-restricted L3T4+ T cells. Eur J Immunol 17: 237–246.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lamb JR, Young DB (1987) A novel approach to the identification of T-cell epitopes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis using human T-lymphocyte clones. Immunology 60: 1–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Longley J, Haregewoin A, Yemaneberhan T, van Diepen TW, Nsijbami J, Knowles D, Smith KA, Godal T (1985) In vivo responses to Mycobacterium leprae: antigen presentation, interleukin-2 production, and immune cell phenotypes in naturally occurring leprosy lesions. Int J Leprosy 53: 385–394.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra V, Mason LH, Fields JP, Bloom BR (1979) Lepromin-induced suppressor cells in patients with leprosy. J Immunol 123: 1813–1817.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra V, Mason LH, Rothman W, Reinherz E, Schlossman SF, Bloom BR (1980) Delineation of a human T cell subset responsible for lepromin-induced suppression in leprosy patients. J Immunol 125: 1183–1188.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra V, Convit J, Rubinstein A, Bloom BR (1982) Activated suppressor T cells in leprosy. J Immunol 129: 1946–1951.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra V, Brennan PJ, Rada E, Convit J, Bloom BR (1984) Lymphocyte suppression in leprosy induced by unique M. leprae glycolipid. Nature 308: 194–196.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehra V, Bloom BR, Torigian VK, Mandich D, Reichel M, Young SMM, Salgame P, Convit J, Hunter SW, McNeil M, Brennan PJ, Rea TH, Modlin RL (1989) Characterization of Mycobacterium leprae cell wall-associated proteins using T-lymphocyte clones. J Immunol:.

    Google Scholar 

  • Melancon-Kaplan J, Hunter SW, McNeil M, Stewart C, Modlin RL, Rea TH, Convit J, Salgame P, Mehra V, Bloom BR, Brennan PJ (1988) Immunological significance of Mycobacterium leprae cell walls. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 1917–1921.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Hofman FM, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1982) In situ characterization of T lymphocyte subsets in leprosy granulomas [letter]. Int J Leprosy 50: 361–362.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Hofman FM, Meyer PR, Sharma OP, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1983a) In situ demonstration of T lymphocyte subsets in granulomatous inflammation: leprosy, rhinoscleroma and sarcoidosis. Clin Exp Immunol 51: 430–438.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Gebhard JF, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1983b) In situ characterization of T lymphocyte subsets in the reactional states of leprosy. Clin Exp Immunol 53: 17–24.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Hofman FM, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1983c) T lymphocyte subsets in the skin lesions of patients. with leprosy. J Am Acad Dermatol 8: 182–189.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Hofman FM, Horwitz DA, Husmann LA, Gillis S, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1984) In situ identification of cells in human leprosy granulomas with monoclonal antibodies to interleukin 2 and its receptor. J Immunol 132: 3085–3090.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Bakke AC, Vaccaro SA, Horwitz DA, Taylor CR, Rea TH (1985) Tissue and blood T-lymphocyte subpopulations in erythema nodosum leprosum. Arch Dermatol 121: 216–219.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Mehra V, Wong L, Fujimiya Y, Chang W-C, Horwitz DA, Bloom BR, Rea TH, Pattengale PK (1986a) Suppressor T lymphocytes from lepromatous leprosy skin lesions. J Immunol 137: 2831–2834.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Gersuk GM, Nelson EE, Pattengale PK, Gunter JR, Chen L, Cooper CL, Bloom BR, Rea TH (1986b) T-lymphocyte clones from leprosy skin lesions. Lepr Rev 57 [Suppl 2]: 143–147.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Mehra V, Jordan R, Bloom BR, Rea TH (1986c) In situ and in vitro characterization of the cellular immune response in erythema nodosum leprosum. J Immunol 136: 883–886.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Kato H, Mehra V, Nelson EE, Xue-dong F, Rea TH Pattengale PK, Bloom BR (1986d) Genetically restricted suppressor T-cell clones derived from lepromatous leprosy lesions. Nature 322: 459–461.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Brenner MB, Krangel MS, Duby AD, Bloom BR (1987) T-cell receptors of human suppressor cells. Nature 329: 541–545.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Melancon-Kaplan J, Young SMM, Pirmez C, Kino H, Convit J, Rea TH, Bloom BR (1988) Learning from lesions: patterns of tissue inflammation in leprosy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 85: 1213–1217.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modlin RL, Pirmez C, Hofman FM, Torigian V, Uyemura K, Rea TH, Bloom BR Brenner MB (1989) Lymphocytes bearing antigen-specific γδ T-cell receptors accumulate in human infectious disease lesions. Nature 339: 544–548.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mustafa AS, Godal T (1987) BCG induced CD4+ cytotoxic T cells from BCG vaccinated healthy subjects: relation between cytotoxicity and suppression in vitro. Clin Exp Immunol 69: 255–262.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narayanan RB, Bhutani LK, Sharma AK, Nath I (1983) T cell subsets in leprosy lesions: in situ characterization using monoclonal antibodies. Clin Exp Immunol 51: 421–429.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narayanan RB, Laal S, Sharma AK, Bhutani LK, Nath I (1984) Differences in predominant T cell phenotypes and distribution pattern in reactional lesions of tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy. Clin Exp Immunol 55: 623–628.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nathan CF, Kaplan G, Levis WR, Nusrat A, Witmer MD, Sherwin SA, Job CK, Horowitz CR, Steinman RM, Cohn ZA (1986) Local and systemic effects of intradermal recombinant interferon-gamma in patients with lepromatous leprosy. N Engl J Med 315: 6–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson EE, Wong L, Uyemura K, Rea TH, Modlin RL (1987) Lepromin-induced suppressor cells in lepromatous leprosy. Cell Immunol 104: 99–104.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nilsen R, Mshana RN, Negesse Y, Menigistu G, Kana B (1986) Immunohistochemical studies of leprous neuritis. Lepr Rev 57 [Suppl 2]: 177–187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ottenhoff THM, Elferink DG, Klaster PR, de Vries RRP (1986) Cloned suppressor T cells from a lepromatous leprosy patient suppress Mycobacterium leprae reactive helper T cells. Nature 322: 462–464.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ridley DS, Jopling WH (1966) Classification of leprosy according to immunity. A five-group system. Int J Leprosy 34: 255–273.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rook GAW, Steele J, Fraher L, Barker S, Karmali R, O’Riordan J (1986) Vitamin D3, gamma interferon, and control of proliferation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by human monocytes. Immunology 57: 159–163.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salgame P, Modlin R, Bloom BR (1989) On the mechanism of human T cell Suppression International Immunol 1: 121–129.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders ME, Makgoba MW, Shaw S (1988) Human naive and memory T cells: reinterpretation of helper-inducer and suppressor-inducer subsets. Immunol Today 9: 195–199.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarno EN, Kaplan G, Alvaranga F, Nogueira N, Porto JA, Cohn ZA (1984) Effect of treatment on the cellular composition of cutaneous lesions in leprosy patients. Int J Leprosy 52: 496–500.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Voorhis WC, Kaplan G, Sarno EN, Horwitz MA, Steinman RM, Levis WR, Nogueira N, Hair LS, Gattass CR, Arrick BA, Cohn ZA (1982) The cutaneous infiltrates of leprosy: cellular characteristics and the predominant T-cell phenotypes. N Engl J Med 307: 1593–1597.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallach D, Flageul B, Bach MA, Cottenot F (1984) The cellular content of dermal leprous granulomas: an immuno-histological approach. Int J Leprosy 52: 318–326.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamada H, Martin PJ, Bean MA, Braun MP, Beatty PG, Sadamoto K, Hansen JA (1985) Monoclonal antibody 9.3 and anti-CD11 antibodies define reciprocal subsets of lymphocytes. Eur J Immunol 15: 1164–1168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Young DB, Lamb JR (1986) T lymphocytes respond to solid-phase antigen: a novel approach to the molecular analysis of cellular immunity. Immunology 59: 167–171.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    V. Mehra

  2. Section of Dermatology and Department of Pathology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    R. L. Modlin

Authors
  1. V. Mehra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. L. Modlin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ulm, A.-Einstein-Allee 11, D-7900, Ulm, Germany

    Stefan H. E. Kaufmann

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Mehra, V., Modlin, R.L. (1990). T-Lymphocytes in Leprosy Lesions. In: Kaufmann, S.H.E. (eds) T-Cell Paradigms in Parasitic and Bacterial Infections. Current Topics in Microbiology and Immunology, vol 155. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74983-4_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74983-4_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74985-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74983-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation