01427nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001500055653001000070653001900080653001000099653001100109653003500120653001100155653002100166653002100187653002100208653001200229653000900241653001600250653000900266100001600275700001700291700001400308245004500322300001000367490000700377520070300384022001401087       1983                            d  c1983 Feb10aAdolescent10aAdult10aAutoantibodies10aChild10aFemale10aFluorescent Antibody Technique10aHumans10aImmunoglobulin A10aImmunoglobulin G10aImmunoglobulin M10aleprosy10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aSkin1 aHigashi G I1 aEl-Gothamy Z1 aHabib M A00aImmunoglobulin deposits in leprosy skin.  a87-940 v773 a<p>An immunofluorescent study was carried out on skin biopsies from 12 leprosy patients who had been suffering from the disease for periods of one to 30 years; all were treated with dapsone and clofazimine at one stage. Skin biopsies made from reactive nodular lesions showed that all 12 had IgG deposits and seven had IgM deposits in the dermal-epidermal junction. No IgA, IgE, C3 and fibrinogen were found deposited in any biopsy. All patients had significantly raised levels of serum immunoglobulins and rheumatoid factor. Anti-epithelial (eight patients) and anti-nuclear (three patients) antibodies were also found. The possible role of autoantibodies in the present findings is discussed.</p>  a0003-4983