@article{22883,
  keywords = {Adult, Female, Humans, Interleukin-17, leprosy, Male, RNA, Messenger, Skin Diseases, Bacterial},
  author = {Motta-Passos I and Malheiro A and Naveca FG and Souza Passos LF and Ribeiro De Barros Cardoso C and Gra{\c c}a Souza Cunha M and P{\^o}rto Dos Santos M and Villarouco Silva GA and Silva Fraporti L and Paula L},
  title = {Decreased RNA expression of interleukin 17A in skin of leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>Interleukin-17A (IL-17A) is a proinflamatory cytokine that plays an important role in fighting pathogens at mucosal interfaces, by summoning neutrophils and upregulating cytoplasmatic antimicrobial peptides. So far, the presence of IL-17A in leprosy has not been demonstrated. The expression of IL-17A and related cytokines (IL-6 and IL-23p19) was addressed through RNA extraction and cDNA quantitative amplification in macerated biopsies of active lesions of 48~leprosy patients and 20~fragments of normal skin of individuals. Blood levels of IL-17A, IL-23p19 and IL-6 were determined by ELISA. We found an abrogated mRNA IL-17A response in all biopsies of leprosy patients, as compared with controls. Circulating IL-17A and IL-23p19 were undetectable in both patients and controls, but IL-6 was higher in lepromatous patients. Although at low levels, IL-17A mRNA in lepromatous patients had an inverse linear correlation with bacillary burden. Low expression of IL-17A in patients may be a constitutive genetic feature of leprosy patients or a circumstantial event induced by the local presence of the pathogen, as an escape mechanism.</p>},
  year = {2012},
  journal = {European journal of dermatology : EJD},
  volume = {22},
  pages = {488-94},
  month = {2012 Jul-Aug},
  issn = {1952-4013},
  doi = {10.1684/ejd.2012.1741},
  language = {eng},
}