01373nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002400055653001100079653001200090653001600102653002600118653002500144653001800169653001500187100001400202700001400216700001400230245010600244300001000350490000700360520073800367022001401105       1988                            d  c1988 Aug10aAntigens, Bacterial10aHumans10aleprosy10aLymph Nodes10aLymphocyte Activation10aMycobacterium leprae10aT-Lymphocytes10aTuberculin1 aDesai S D1 aBirdi T J1 aAntia N H00aPresence of Mycobacterium leprae-reactive lymphocytes in lymph nodes of lepromatous leprosy patients.  a211-60 v283 a<p>A critical problem in leprosy is the relative deficiency of antigen-specific T cell-mediated immunity. We were successful in detecting a significant response to viable M. leprae in mononuclear cells isolated from the lymph nodes of lepromatous leprosy patients in contrast to the apparent M. leprae-specific energy seen in the peripheral blood. This observation suggests that antigen-reactive lymphocytes are generated in the lymph nodes of lepromatous patients but the inability to detect them in the circulation may be due either to a different processing and presentation of mycobacterial antigens within the peripheral blood and lymph node compartments or to a selective sequestration of lymphocytes within the lymph node.</p>  a0300-9475