01720nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653001400058653001100072653002200083653003000105653001200135653002500147653001800172100001300190700001200203700001300215700001400228245011500242300001000357490000700367520107800374022001401452       2004                            d  c2004 Jul 0110aApoptosis10aHumans10aImmunophenotyping10aIn Situ Nick-End Labeling10aleprosy10aMycobacterium leprae10aT-Lymphocytes1 aWalsh DS1 aLane JE1 aAbalos R1 aMyint KSA00aTUNEL and limited immunophenotypic analyses of apoptosis in paucibacillary and multibacillary leprosy lesions.  a265-90 v413 a<p>Some mycobacterial infections, such as tuberculosis, are characterized by apoptosis of infected or by-stander mononuclear immune cells. For localized (paucibacillary, PB) and disseminated (multibacillary, MB) leprosy, characterized by polarized Th1-like vs. Th2-like immune responses, respectively, little is known about lesional apoptosis. We analyzed sections of paraffin-embedded, untreated leprosy lesions from 21 patients by an indirect immunofluorescent terminal deoxynucleotide-transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Some TUNEL (+) PB sections were then reacted with phycoerythrin-conjugated (red) antibodies against T cells, monocytes, or antigen-presenting (Langerhans) cells. TUNEL (+) bodies were detected in 9 of 16 PB lesions (56%) and in 1 of 5 MB lesions (20%). Some TUNEL (+) bodies in PB disease were CD3+ (T cell), as well as CD4+ (T-helper) or CD8+ (T-cytotoxic). Apoptosis characterizes PB and MB leprosy lesions and may be more frequent in PB disease. In PB disease, some TUNEL (+) bodies may derive from T cells.</p>  a0928-8244