Differing antibody IgG isotypes in the polar forms of leprosy and cutaneous leishmaniasis characterized by antigen-specific T cell anergy.

Abstract

Leprosy and American cutaneous leishmaniasis are tropical diseases which present a spectrum of clinical and immunological manifestations. Lepromatous leprosy and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis are the severe, progressive polar forms of disease characterized by persistent T cell anergy. Relative concentrations of antibodies belonging to the four IgG isotypes have been determined in these forms of disease as well as active visceral leishmaniasis, which presents transitory T cell anergy. Leishmania-specific IgG4 antibodies predominated in 19/20 sera from patients with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis, and IgG1 antibodies predominated in 9/10 cases of untreated visceral leishmaniasis. The predominant IgG isotype of Mycobacterium leprae-specific antibodies in untreated lepromatous leprosy was remarkably variable (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 in 8, 6, 2 and 1 sera, respectively). Differing IgG antibody isotypes have been associated with distinct CD4+ T cell helper subpopulations and their characteristic lymphokine profiles in several pathologies. These results suggest that T cell anergy in chronic intracellular infections may be associated with as yet undefined mechanisms which modulate reported T helper cell-lymphokine isotype relationships.

• Authors: M Ulrich, V Rodriguez, M Centeno, J Convit
• Journal: Clinical and experimental immunology (Clin Exp Immunol) Vol. 100 Issue 1 Pg. 54-8 (Apr 1995) ISSN: 0009-9104 [Print] England
• PMID: 7697923 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin G
• Immunoglobulin Isotypes

Topics

• Adult
• Chronic Disease
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (immunology)
• Immunoglobulin Isotypes (immunology)
• Leishmaniasis, Diffuse Cutaneous (immunology)
• Leishmaniasis, Visceral (immunology)
• Leprosy, Lepromatous (immunology)
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)