01807nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653001200055653001500067653003300082653001700115653001400132653001600146653001200162653003000174653002300204653001200227653001600239653002500255653001500280653001700295653001500312100001500327700001300342700001300355245009500368300001100463490000800474520097300482022001401455       1987                            d  c1987 Jul10aAnimals10aEpithelium10aFluorescein-5-isothiocyanate10aFluoresceins10aGranuloma10aGuinea Pigs10aHaptens10aHypersensitivity, Delayed10aImmunity, Cellular10aleprosy10aLymph Nodes10aMycobacterium leprae10aPhagocytes10aThiocyanates10aTuberculin1 aVerghese S1 aCurtis J1 aTurk J L00aEpithelioid cell granuloma induction in the guinea pig by haptenated Mycobacterium leprae.  a307-160 v1073 a<p>Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated Mycobacterium leprae (FITC-M. leprae) was injected intradermally into the ears of guinea pigs and granuloma formation in the draining postauricular lymph nodes was studied. At 2 weeks, there was an increase in weights and infiltration of the draining lymph nodes in half of the animals injected with FITC-M. leprae. At 5 weeks, there was a significant increase in the weights and infiltration of these draining lymph nodes in the guinea pigs injected with haptenated M. leprae compared with those injected with unconjugated M. leprae. At 5 weeks, there was also a significant increase in delayed type hypersensitivity responses to 25 micrograms purified protein derivative. Histologically, epithelioid cell granulomas were seen in these lymph nodes as early as 2 weeks when FITC-M. leprae was used as the source of antigen. Enhancement in the immunogenicity of M. leprae by conjugation with FITC has been postulated.</p>  a0008-8749