01641nas a2200265   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002700055653004400082653001100126653002300137653001300160653001200173653002600185653001800211653001200229100002100241700001900262700001400281245008500295300001200380490000700392520096200399022001401361       1987                            d  c1987 Jul10aAntibodies, Monoclonal10aAntigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte10aHumans10aImmunity, Cellular10aLepromin10aleprosy10aLymphocyte Activation10aT-Lymphocytes10aTrypsin1 aMuthukkaruppan V1 aChakkalath H R1 aJames M M00aImmunologic unresponsiveness in leprosy is mediated by modulation of E-receptor.  a199-2040 v153 a<p>By using an indirect immunofluorescence technique with OKT3 and OKT11 monoclonal antibodies, the percentage of CD2 positive cells was found to be reduced in the peripheral blood of bacterial index positive lepromatous leprosy patients; however, in these patients, CD3 positive cells were at the normal level. Further CD2 positive cells attained the normal proportion in lepromatous patients when mycobacterial load was reduced. Both CD2 and CD3 receptors were expressed at the normal level in tuberculoid leprosy patients. Prior treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy controls with Mycobacterium leprae significantly decreased the percentage of CD2 but not CD3 positive cells. Such a modulation of CD2 on T cells also resulted in blocking the lymphoproliferative response induced by mitogen and antigen. These results suggest that there is a strong correlation between CD2 modulation and immunologic unresponsiveness in leprosy.</p>  a0165-2478