01952nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653000900080653002700089653002100116653001100137653001100148653001200159653000900171653001600180653002500196653003400221653003000255100001400285700001500299700001300314245006400327856004100391300001100432490000700443520116200450022001401612       1982                            d  c1982 Sep10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAged10aAntibodies, Monoclonal10aErythema Nodosum10aFemale10aHumans10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMycobacterium leprae10aT-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer10aT-Lymphocytes, Regulatory1 aWallach D1 aCottenot F1 aBach M A00aImbalances in T cell subpopulations in lepromatous leprosy.  uhttp://ila.ilsl.br/pdfs/v50n3a02.pdf  a282-900 v503 a<p>Circulating T cells, T helper, and T suppressor cells were investigated in 24 lepromatous patients, using murine hybridoma-derived monoclonal antibodies OKT 3, OKT 4, and OKT 8. Six bacillary lepromatous patients without recent eNL were studied; in this group, suppressor cells were increased and helper cells diminished, resulting in a decrease in the helper/suppressor (H/S) ratio. Nine bacteriologically negative lepromatous patients without recent ENL were studied. T cell subsets distribution was normal, although some T cell functions were affected. It was further shown that in non-ENL patients, the diminution of the H/S ratio is correlated with the Bacteriologic Index (BI). Although bacillary, ENL patients exhibit a completely different T cell pattern than non-reactional patients. In these patients, there was a significant diminution of circulating suppressor cells, and an increase in T cell functions. These abnormalities were transient. Our results confirm the importance of suppressor cells in lepromatous leprosy, and suggest that imbalance between helper and suppressor cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of ENL reactions.</p>
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