02062nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001260003300042653001500075653003800090653002500128653003500153653001100188653002500199653001200224653002400236653001900260653000900279100001700288700001400305700001800319700001100337700001700348700001400365700001500379245007900394856009100473300001000564490000700574520112900581022001401710       2012                            d  c2012 AprbScieloaSao Paulo 10aBiomarkers10aBrain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor10aCase-Control Studies10aEnzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay10aHumans10aImmunohistochemistry10aleprosy10aNerve Growth Factor10aNeurotrophin 310aSkin1 aMichellin LB1 aBarreto J1 aMarciano LHSC1 aLara F1 aNogueira MES1 aSouza VNB1 aCosta MRSN00aLeprosy patients: neurotrophic factors and axonal markers in skin lesions.  uhttp://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2012000400012&nrm=iso  a281-60 v703 a<p>Neurotrophins are growth factors with crucial roles in neural pathophysiology. These mediators functionally modulate nociceptive fibers, and changes in neurotrophins expression have been correlated with early loss of nociception in leprosy. This study investigated the expression of NGF, BDNF, and NT3 in dermal nerves of leprosy patients. Characterization of Remak bundles was achieved by p75(NTR), and axonal markers NF-L and PGP 9.5 immunostaining. Clinical parameters of neural impairment have been evaluated by Semmes-Wenstein monofilaments. Our findings demonstrated decrease of NGF in borderline leprosy, when compared to control specimens. Similar results were observed in PGP 9.5 expression (borderline: p<0.001 and lepromatous: p<0.05) and NF-L (lepromatous: p<0.05), suggesting advanced Remak bundles degeneration in multibacillary leprosy. It has also been observed positive correlation between p75(NTR) and PGP 9.5, indicating association between Schwann cells and axons in Remak bundles. Present data indicate that neurotrophins imbalance may participate in the establishment of peripheral nerve damage.</p>  a1678-4227