TRANSPORT OF AMINO-ACIDS ACROSS RENAL BRUSH-BORDER MEMBRANE-VESICLES IN MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE INFECTED SWISS ALBINO MICE - EFFECT OF CONVIT VACCINE

Brush border membrane vesicles prepared from kidneys of Mycobacterium leprae infected (non-vaccinated) and vaccinated-infected Swiss albino mice were used to assess the effect of Convit's combined vaccine (BCG + M. leprae) on amino acid transport activity across the tubular basem ent membrane. The protective effect of Convit's vaccine was more prono unced with respect to the uptake of L-alanine than L-aspartate. Uptake of L-lysine showed no significant difference in the different groups. Footpad counts followed characteristic growth curves in the non-vacci nated infected group but showed a lag in the development of peak level s in the vaccinated group. Further Convit's vaccine appeared to have a protective effect on renal impairment in the mouse model of leprosy i n the initial stages of infection only, as indicated by the transient reversal of amino acid uptake and a diminution in the footpad counts i nduced by M. leprae infection. No significant (P > 0.05) protective ef fect of the vaccine was found in the advanced disease state.