TY - JOUR KW - ADAM Proteins KW - ADAM17 Protein KW - Adult KW - DNA, Complementary KW - Female KW - Fluorescent Antibody Technique KW - Humans KW - Immunohistochemistry KW - leprosy KW - Male KW - Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 KW - Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 KW - Middle Aged KW - Peripheral nerves KW - Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction KW - RNA KW - Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha AU - Teles R AU - Antunes S AU - Jardim M AU - Oliveira A AU - Nery JA AU - Sales A AU - Sampaio E AU - Shubayev V AU - Sarno E AB -

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) play important and related roles in the pathogenesis of nerve injury. MMP-dependent and TNF-alpha-dependent processes of neurodegeneration, such as blood-nerve breakdown and immune cell recruitment, are characteristic of leprosy nerve damage. Our work has contributed to the understanding of the role of cytokines in the process, but the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of neuritic leprosy has not been investigated. This study analyzed the changes in mRNA expression and immunodistribution of MMP-2, MMP-9, TNF-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE), TNF-alpha in nerves of 27 pure neuritic leprosy (PNL) patients, both acid-fast bacilli positive (AFB(+)) and acid-fast bacilli negative (AFB(-)), and 8 non-leprosy patients with control peripheral neuropathic conditions. MMP-2, MMP-9, and TNF-alpha mRNA expression was significantly induced in the AFB(-) relative to the AFB(+) neuritic leprosy group and nonlepritic controls; TACE levels were also elevated in the AFB(-) group, but this change was not statistically significant. Immunoreactive profiles for TNF-alpha and MMPs demonstrated strong reactivity of myelinated axons, infiltrating macrophages, Schwann cells, endothelial cells, and perineurial cells in neuritic leprosy biopsies. This study provides the evidence of the involvement of MMPs in the pathogenesis of PNL neuropathy.

BT - Journal of the peripheral nervous system : JPNS C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17868246?dopt=Abstract DA - 2007 Sep DO - 10.1111/j.1529-8027.2007.00139.x IS - 3 J2 - J. Peripher. Nerv. Syst. LA - eng N2 -

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) play important and related roles in the pathogenesis of nerve injury. MMP-dependent and TNF-alpha-dependent processes of neurodegeneration, such as blood-nerve breakdown and immune cell recruitment, are characteristic of leprosy nerve damage. Our work has contributed to the understanding of the role of cytokines in the process, but the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of neuritic leprosy has not been investigated. This study analyzed the changes in mRNA expression and immunodistribution of MMP-2, MMP-9, TNF-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE), TNF-alpha in nerves of 27 pure neuritic leprosy (PNL) patients, both acid-fast bacilli positive (AFB(+)) and acid-fast bacilli negative (AFB(-)), and 8 non-leprosy patients with control peripheral neuropathic conditions. MMP-2, MMP-9, and TNF-alpha mRNA expression was significantly induced in the AFB(-) relative to the AFB(+) neuritic leprosy group and nonlepritic controls; TACE levels were also elevated in the AFB(-) group, but this change was not statistically significant. Immunoreactive profiles for TNF-alpha and MMPs demonstrated strong reactivity of myelinated axons, infiltrating macrophages, Schwann cells, endothelial cells, and perineurial cells in neuritic leprosy biopsies. This study provides the evidence of the involvement of MMPs in the pathogenesis of PNL neuropathy.

PY - 2007 SP - 195 EP - 204 T2 - Journal of the peripheral nervous system : JPNS TI - Expression of metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9, and TACE) and TNF-alpha in the nerves of leprosy patients. VL - 12 SN - 1085-9489 ER -