EFFECT OF MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE ON LYMPHOCYTE-PROLIFERATION - SUPPRESSION OF MITOGEN AND ANTIGEN RESPONSES OF HUMAN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 41  (3) , 397-405
Abstract
Evidence is presented that M. leprae suppresses the in vitro proliferative response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) to antigen and mitogen. Lymphoproliferation induced by PPD [purified protein derivative] or alloantigen stimulation was inhibited by concentrations of M. leprae which were not cytotoxic for lymphoblasts. The inhibition of mitogen-stimulated PBM was seen only at higher concentrations of M. leprae which proved to be cytotoxic for lymphoblasts. The inhibitory effect was not dependent on a particular cell population present in leprosy patients, as PBM from normals were inhibited similarly. These findings may explain some of the immunological aberrations observed in lepromatous leprosy patients who harbor large numbers of M. leprae bacilli in their tissues.