ROLE OF MACROPHAGES IN DEFECTIVE CELL-MEDIATED-IMMUNITY IN LEPROMATOUS LEPROSY .2. MACROPHAGE AND LYMPHOCYTE INTERACTION

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 48  (2) , 178-182
Abstract
Macrophages from lepromatous patients after phagocytosis of Mycobacterium leprae showed an alteration in their surface property as determined by their ability to express Fc receptors. The same macrophages without intracellular M. leprae show normal Fc receptors. The lepromatous macrophages also show very poor interaction with lymphocytes in the presence of M. leprae while they are able to interact with lymphocytes when exposed to other antigens. These observations along with earlier ones on macrophage defects indicate a probable reason for defective cell mediated immunity (CMI) in lepromatous leprosy patients. There appears to be a defective macrophage population in lepromatous patients that is unable to process M. leprae antigens and initiate the CMI response.

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