BACKGROUND: Nerve damage is a common and disabling feature of leprosy, with unclear aetiology. It has been reported that the peroxidizing agents of myelin lipids-nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite-are produced in leprosy skin lesions.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the localization of nitrotyrosine (NT)-a local end-product of peroxynitrite-in leprosy lesions where dermal nerves are affected by a granulomatous reaction.
METHODS: We investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy the localization of the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and NT in biopsies exhibiting dermal nerves from patients with untreated leprosy.
RESULTS: There were abundant NT-positive and iNOS-positive macrophages in the borderline leprosy granulomas infiltrating peripheral nerves identified by light microscopy, S-100 and neurofilament immunostaining. Immunoelectron microscopy showed NT reactivity in neurofilament aggregates and in the cell wall of Mycobacterium leprae.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NO and peroxynitrite could be involved in the nerve damage following borderline leprosy.
BT - The British journal of dermatology C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15030344?dopt=Abstract DA - 2004 Mar DO - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2004.05764.x IS - 3 J2 - Br. J. Dermatol. LA - eng N2 -BACKGROUND: Nerve damage is a common and disabling feature of leprosy, with unclear aetiology. It has been reported that the peroxidizing agents of myelin lipids-nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite-are produced in leprosy skin lesions.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the localization of nitrotyrosine (NT)-a local end-product of peroxynitrite-in leprosy lesions where dermal nerves are affected by a granulomatous reaction.
METHODS: We investigated by immunohistochemistry and immunoelectron microscopy the localization of the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and NT in biopsies exhibiting dermal nerves from patients with untreated leprosy.
RESULTS: There were abundant NT-positive and iNOS-positive macrophages in the borderline leprosy granulomas infiltrating peripheral nerves identified by light microscopy, S-100 and neurofilament immunostaining. Immunoelectron microscopy showed NT reactivity in neurofilament aggregates and in the cell wall of Mycobacterium leprae.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NO and peroxynitrite could be involved in the nerve damage following borderline leprosy.
PY - 2004 SP - 570 EP - 4 T2 - The British journal of dermatology TI - Nitrotyrosine localization to dermal nerves in borderline leprosy. VL - 150 SN - 0007-0963 ER -