01923nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001700051653002500068653001800093653001100111653002000122653002100142653001200163653002500175653002800200653001900228653006200247653001400309653001400323100001500337700001600352700001800368700001500386245008300401300001000484490000700494520108200501022001401583       2004                            d  c200410aAntigens, CD10aCase-Control Studies10aGlycoproteins10aHumans10aImmunoglobulins10aInterferon-gamma10aleprosy10aLeprosy, Tuberculoid10aReceptors, Cell Surface10aRNA, Messenger10aSignaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Family Member 110aTh1 Cells10aTh2 Cells1 aQuiroga MF1 aMartínez G1 aPasquinelli V1 aGarcía VE00a[The SLAM-associated protein (SAP) regulates IFN-gamma expression in leprosy].  a436-80 v643 a<p>The SLAM-associated protein (SAP) regulates IFN-gamma expression in leprosy. Tuberculoid leprosy patients locally produce Th1 cytokines, while lepromatous patients produce Th2 cytokines. Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) and the SLAM-associated protein (SAP) participate in the differentiation process that leads to the production of specific patterns of cytokines by activated T cells. To investigate the SLAM/SAP pathway in M. leprae infection, we determined the expression of SAP, IFN-gamma and SLAM RNA messenger in leprosy patients. We found a direct correlation of SLAM expression with IFN-gamma expression, whereas the expression of SAP was inversely correlated with the expression of both SLAM and IFN-gamma. Therefore, our data indicate that SAP might interfere with Th1 cytokine responses while SLAM expression may contribute to Th1 responses in leprosy. This study further suggests that the SLAM/SAP pathway might be a focal point for therapeutic modulation of T cell cytokine responses in diseases characterized by dysfunctional Th2 responses.</p>  a0025-7680