PRODUCTION OF HOST-PROTECTIVE (IFN-GAMMA), HOST-IMPAIRING (IL-10, IL-13) AND INFLAMMATORY (TNF-ALPHA) CYTOKINES BY PBMC FROM LEPROSY PATIENTS STIMULATED WITH MYCOBACTERIAL ANTIGENS

The production of IFN gamma, IL-10, IL-13 and TNF alpha was determined using PBMC from 7 tuberculoid (TT) and 7 lepromatous leprosy (LL) pat ients, after stimulation with several mycobacterial antigens, in an at tempt to characterize the cytokine responses to these antigens. The re sults showed that TT patients displayed higher IFN gamma levels than L L patients with the mycobacterial antigens tested, but no differences in IL-10 production were observed between the two groups. MLSC antigen was associated with the lowest IFN gamma production in TT and LL grou ps. Only BCG could be identified with stimulation of IFN gamma product ion in some LL patients. The mycobacterial antigens SP+, SP- and BCG w ere associated with higher TNF alpha production in patients and contro ls, suggesting that these antigens could be involved in immunopatholog ical effects. Our findings showed that the antigens tested were associ ated with a heterogeneous cytokine production in leprosy patients. Fur ther studies are required to establish if an individual antigen can be identified as inducing a protective immune response in leprosy.