02338nas a2200361   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002600055653002400081653001700105653001800122653001400140653002300154653001100177653001200188653001600200653002500216653000900241653001800250653003000268100001100298700001500309700001300324700001300337700001300350700001000363700001500373245008400388300001200472490000700484520147100491022001401962       2007                            d  c2007 Jul10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigens, Bacterial10aAntigens, CD10aB-Lymphocytes10aCytokines10aHistocytochemistry10aHumans10aleprosy10aMacrophages10aMycobacterium leprae10aSkin10aT-Lymphocytes10aTissue Culture Techniques1 aIyer A1 aMohanty KK1 aEgmond D1 aKatoch K1 aFaber WR1 aDas P1 aSengupta U00aLeprosy-specific B-cells within cellular infiltrates in active leprosy lesions.  a1065-730 v383 a<p>Leprosy is a spectral disease with polar lepromatous and tuberculoid forms correlating with enhanced humoral and cell-mediated immunity, respectively, against Mycobacterium leprae and the borderline forms, borderline lepromatous, midborderline, and borderline tuberculoid showing in-between clinical and immunological characteristics. Histopathologically, the cellular infiltrates of leprosy lesions show predominantly the presence of interacting T-cells and antigen presenting cells like macrophages, whereas the presence of B-cells has only been sporadically reported. The present study demonstrates by immunohistochemical techniques the presence of B-cells, including plasma cells, in active lesions from lepromatous leprosy, skin smear negative borderline lepromatous, and paucibacillary borderline tuberculoid leprosy. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the in situ production of M leprae-specific antibodies from BT lesions using an organotypic skin explant culture model. Finally, analysis of the cytokine release profile in supernatants of lesional organotypic skin cultures showed a microenvironment conducive to the differentiation and maturation of B-cells. The results demonstrate the presence of different functionally active B-cell stages within lesions of patients with leprosy, including borderline tuberculoid patients, which could secrete anti-M leprae-specific antibodies. However, their role in leprosy pathology remains to be elucidated.</p>  a0046-8177