@article{15816,
  keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Concanavalin A, Female, Humans, Intradermal Tests, leprosy, Leukocyte Count, Lymphocyte Activation, Male, Middle Aged, T-Lymphocytes, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory},
  author = {Bach M A and Chatenoud L and Wallach D and Phan Dinh Tuy F and Cottenot F},
  title = {Studies on T cell subsets and functions in leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>T cell subsets and T cell functions were explored in 31 leprosy patients with the following methods: determination of the percentages of the different T cell subpopulations defined by monoclonal antibodies directed at total T cells, helper T cells and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells; measurement of the in vitro proliferative responses to mitogens; study of the concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity, assessed on MLC; measurement of delayed-type hypersensitivity by skin testing. The confrontation between immunological lepromatous patients without type-2 reaction (erythema nodosum leprosum), (2) lepromatous patients without ENL (erythema nodosum leprosum), (2) lepromatous patients was recent ENL and (3) tuberculoid patients. Unexpectedly, groups 1 and 3, although differing strongly in their clinical status and their sensitivity to lepromin (absent in group 1 and strong in group 3), showed a similar immunological profile with a normal percentage of T cells and a normal distribution of T cells among the major T cell subset contrasting with a moderate decrease of proliferative responses to mitogens and impaired delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. Concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity was type-2 reaction) strongly differed from both other groups, showing striking abnormalities other groups, showing striking abnormalities of the repartition of the T cell subsets, with increased percentages of helper T cells and decreased percentages of suppressor T cells, and elevated proliferative responses to mitogens. Concanavalin A-induced suppressive activity was reduced in most patients of this group. It is suggested that this imbalance between T cell subsets contributes to the occurrence of ENL reactions in lepromatous patients.</p>},
  year = {1981},
  journal = {Clinical and experimental immunology},
  volume = {44},
  pages = {491-500},
  month = {1981 Jun},
  issn = {0009-9104},
  language = {eng},
}