IGM ANTIPHENOLIC GLYCOLIPID-I AND IGG ANTI-10-KDA HEAT-SHOCK-PROTEIN ANTIBODIES IN SERA AND IMMUNE-COMPLEXES ISOLATED FROM LEPROSY PATIENTSWITH OR WITHOUT ERYTHEMA-NODOSUM LEPROSUM AND CONTACTS

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the levels of anti-PGL-I a nd anti-10-kDa heat shock protein antibodies in serum and immune compl exes isolated from leprosy patients, convivients and controls. Leprosy patients with erythema nodosum leprosum or without it were included a nd a comparative study was done to investigate intergroup differences. Immune complexes were precipitated from serum by polyethylene glycol 3.5%; antibody levels were measured in sera and in dissociated immune complexes by ELISA. Serum antibody levels were then correlated with im mune complex-associated antibody levels. The results showed that the e rythema nodosum leprosum group differed from controls, contacts and no n-erythema patients in their immune complex levels. IgM anti-PGL-I and IgG anti-10-kDa heat shock protein antibodies were constituents of th e immune complexes in patients with erythema nodosum leprosum, who exh ibited a significant difference in their immune complex composition co mpared with controls, contacts and non-erythema patients; while free a ntibody levels (anti-PGL-I and anti-10-kDa) did not differentiate betw een erythema and non-erythema patients, the measurement of immune comp lex-associated antibodies demonstrated a significant difference betwee n the two clinical conditions. Furthermore, the measurement of immune complex-associated anti-PGL-I IgM made it possible to differentiate be tween contacts and controls. The significance of these results is disc ussed.