01740nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001200059653002600071653002400097653004200121653001100163653001200174653000900186653002400195653002500219653002300244653000900267100002600276700001500302700001400317700001200331700001400343700001600357245008400373300001100457490000700468520092500475022001401400       2007                            d  c2007 Nov-Dec10aAnimals10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigens, Bacterial10aGene Expression Regulation, Bacterial10aHumans10aleprosy10aMice10aMice, Inbred BALB C10aMycobacterium leprae10aPeptide Hydrolases10aSkin1 aRibeiro-Guimarães ML1 aTempone AJ1 aAmaral JJ1 aNery JA1 aAntunes S1 aPessolani M00aExpression analysis of proteases of Mycobacterium leprae in human skin lesions.  a249-540 v433 a<p>Proteases are commonly involved in bacterial pathogenesis and their inhibition has represented a successful therapeutic approach to treat infectious diseases. However, there is little information on the role of proteases in the pathogenesis of Mycobacteria. Five of these genes, three coding for putative secreted proteases, were selected in the present study to investigate their expression in Mycobacterium leprae isolated from skin biopsies of multibacillary leprosy patients. Via nested-PCR, it was demonstrated that mycP1 or ML0041, htrA2 or ML0176, htrA4 or ML2659, gcp or ML0379 and clpC or ML0235 are transcribed in vivo during the course of human infection. Moreover, the expression of Gcp in leprosy lesions was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry using a specific hyperimmune serum. This observation reinforces the potential role of mycobacterial proteases in the context of leprosy pathogenesis.</p>  a0882-4010