01956nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001200058653002300070653002000093653001100113653001200124653000900136653001500145653003500160653002500195653002500220653001200245653000900257653001800266100001200284700001900296700001500315700001600330700001600346245010600362856006700468300001200535490000800547520103700555022001401592       2002                            d  c2002 Nov 0110aAnimals10aCell Communication10aCells, Cultured10aHumans10aleprosy10aMice10aMice, Nude10aMicroscopy, Electron, Scanning10aModels, Neurological10aMycobacterium leprae10aNeurons10aRats10aSchwann Cells1 aHagge D1 aOby Robinson S1 aScollard D1 aMcCormick G1 aWilliams DL00aA new model for studying the effects of Mycobacterium leprae on Schwann cell and neuron interactions.  uhttps://academic.oup.com/jid/article-lookup/doi/10.1086/344313  a1283-960 v1863 a<p>Millions of patients with leprosy suffer from nerve damage resulting in disabilities as a consequence of Mycobacterium leprae infection. However, mechanisms of nerve damage have not been elucidated because of the lack of a model that maintains M. leprae viability and mimics disease conditions. A model was developed using viable M. leprae, rat Schwann cells, and Schwann cell-neuron cocultures incubated at 33 degrees C. M. leprae retained 56% viability in Schwann cells for 3 weeks after infection at 33 degrees C, compared with 3.6% viability at 37 degrees C. Infected Schwann cells had altered morphology and expression of genes encoding cellular adhesion molecules at 33 degrees C but were capable of interacting with and myelinating neurons. Cocultures, infected after myelination occurred, showed no morphological changes in myelin architecture after 1 month of incubation at 33 degrees C, and M. leprae retained 53% viability. This article describes a new model for studying the effects of M. leprae on Schwann cells.</p>  a0022-1899