@article{1642,
  keywords = {CD4 Antigens, CD4-CD8 Ratio, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, CD8 Antigens, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Female, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, leprosy, Lymphocyte Count, Male, T-Lymphocyte Subsets},
  author = {Mahaisavariya P and Kulthanan K and Khemngern S and Pinkaew S},
  title = {Lesional T-cell subset in leprosy and leprosy reaction.},
  abstract = {<p><b>BACKGROUND: </b>The T-cell-mediated immune response plays an important role in leprosy. The in situ proportion and pattern of distribution of T-cell subsets in leprosy skin lesions have been studied, but no conclusion could be drawn.</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>We used monoclonal antibodies for T-helper and T-suppressor surface antigen to define the nature of dermal infiltration in 17 cases of nonreactional leprosy and 20 cases of reactional leprosy.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>We found T helper admixed with T suppressor in an aggregated pattern in the granulomas of most cases of nonreactional leprosy and in type I reactional leprosy, but a diffuse infiltrate throughout the dermis of type II reactional leprosy. The T-helper/suppressor ratio was 1.68 in tuberculoid and 1.5 in lepromatous cases. The T-helper/ suppressor ratios of borderline tuberculoid (3.11) and type I reactional leprosy (2.54) were not statistically different. The T-helper/suppressor ratio of type II reactional leprosy (5.83) was statistically higher than nonreactional lepromatous cases.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>The alteration of the T-helper/suppressor ratio in our study is mainly due to the reduction of T-suppressor cells in the dermal infiltrates, especially in type II reactional leprosy. Further studies of T-suppressor functions may be important in the pathogenesis of leprosy.</p>},
  year = {1999},
  journal = {International journal of dermatology},
  volume = {38},
  pages = {345-7},
  month = {1999 May},
  issn = {0011-9059},
  doi = {10.1046/j.1365-4362.1999.00621.x},
  language = {eng},
}