01882nas a2200337   4500000000100000008004100001260001300042653002400055653002000079653002400099653001100123653002400134653001800158653001300176653002500189653002500214653001800239100001400257700002000271700001700291700001400308700001900322700001600341700001300357700001300370245010800383300001100491490000800502520102000510022001401530       1993                            d  c1993 May10aAntigens, Bacterial10aCells, Cultured10aHeat-Shock Proteins10aHumans10aIn Vitro Techniques10aInterleukin-610aLepromin10aLeprosy, lepromatous10aLeprosy, Tuberculoid10aMycobacterium1 aLaunois P1 aVandenbussche P1 aM'Bayame N N1 aDrowart A1 aVan Vooren J P1 aSarthou J L1 aMillan J1 aHuygen K00aIL-6 production in response to purified mycobacterial heat-shock proteins and to antigen 85 in leprosy.  a283-900 v1483 a<p>IL-6 production was examined in PBMC cultures from healthy leprosy contacts and from leprosy patients stimulated with the purified mycobacterial 18-, 65-, and 70-kDa heat-shock proteins (hsp) and the secreted fibronectin-binding antigen 85 (Ag85). In lepromin-negative contacts, the 70-kDa hsp was the only antigen capable of eliciting significant IL-6 production. In lepromin-positive contacts, Ag85, the 65- and the 70-kDa hsp induced substantial IL-6 titers. IL-6 levels induced with the 70-kDa antigen were about fourfold higher than with the 65-kDa hsp or with Ag85. The 18-kDa antigen did not induce any IL-6 in these healthy contacts. PBMC from tuberculoid leprosy patients produced even more elevated levels of IL-6, and PBMC from lepromatous leprosy patients produced extremely high levels of IL-6. All antigens were capable of inducing IL-6 in leprosy patients. Highest levels were found in cultures stimulated with the 65-kDa hsp, and lowest levels were in cultures stimulated with the 18-kDa hsp.</p>  a0008-8749