@article{16021,
  keywords = {Culture Media, Humans, Immune Tolerance, Interleukin-2, leprosy, Lymphocyte Activation, T-Lymphocytes},
  author = {Haregewoin A and Godal T and Mustafa A S and Belehu A and Yemaneberhan T},
  title = {T-cell conditioned media reverse T-cell unresponsiveness in lepromatous leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>In some subjects the infective agent of leprosy, Mycobacterium leprae, causes disseminated (lepromatous) disease. Such subjects have a major role in the transmission of the disease and show deficient T-cell responses both in vivo and in vitro to M. leprae, but not to other antigens. Numerous studies have recently shown that T cells with functional capabilities after initial triggering with antigen can be maintained in a state of continuous proliferation in vitro when cultured in medium containing interleukin 2 (IL-2). Here we have studied the effect of IL-2 rich T-cell conditioned medium on lepromatous peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our results show that although lepromatous T cells fail to produce IL-2 after exposure to M. leprae they can respond by proliferation to M. leprae in the presence of T-cell conditioned medium, suggesting that the unresponsiveness in lepromatous leprosy results from a deficiency in the production of IL-2 or related factors and not a lack of M. leprae-reactive T cells.</p>},
  year = {1983},
  journal = {Nature},
  volume = {303},
  pages = {342-4},
  month = {1983 May 26},
  issn = {0028-0836},
  doi = {10.1038/303342a0},
  language = {eng},
}