@article{10573,
  keywords = {Immune Tolerance, Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes, Leprosy, lepromatous, Macrophages, Mycobacterium leprae, T-Lymphocytes},
  author = {Bach M A and Launois P},
  title = {Mechanisms of Mycobacterium leprae-specific T-cell deficiency in lepromatous leprosy.},
  abstract = {<p>Patients suffering from lepromatous leprosy fail to develop an efficient cell-mediated immunity towards Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent. The mechanism of such a specific T-cell tolerance to the bacillus remains a key question in the pathophysiology of leprosy. Macrophages do not show any intrinsic defect in phagocytizing and killing M. leprae or in presenting antigen to helper T-cells. On the other hand, M. leprae-reactive helper T-cells do persist in lepromatous patients, but their activation appears to prevented by active suppressor mechanisms, involving both suppressor T-cells and macrophages. The target of this specific suppression could be the interleukin 2-producing T-cell subset. A better molecular definition of M. leprae antigens, both by monoclonal antibodies and T-cell clones, should open new perspectives for further analysis of the regulation of immune responses to M. leprae.</p>},
  year = {1988},
  journal = {Biochimie},
  volume = {70},
  pages = {1013-8},
  month = {1988 Aug},
  issn = {0300-9084},
  doi = {10.1016/0300-9084(88)90264-7},
  language = {eng},
}