01911nas a2200325   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001200059653002600071653002900097653001800126653001400144653002700158653001100185653002300196653001200219653000900231653002500240653001400265653001400279100001600293700001300309700001200322245011600334856005400450300001100504490000700515520104900522022001401571       2002                            d  c2002 Jul-Aug10aAnimals10aAntibodies, Bacterial10aAntigen-Presenting Cells10aCD4-CD8 Ratio10aCytokines10aDisease Models, Animal10aHumans10aImmunity, Cellular10aleprosy10aMice10aMycobacterium leprae10aTh1 Cells10aTh2 Cells1 aGoulart IMB1 aPenna GO1 aCunha G00a[Immunopathology of leprosy: the complexity of the mechanisms of host immune response to Mycobacterium leprae].  uhttp://www.scielo.br/pdf/rsbmt/v35n4/a14v35n4.pdf  a365-750 v353 a<p>Leprosy, whose etiologic agent Mycobacterium leprae, is an illness of ample clinical and immunopathological spectrum. Its clinical manifestations are correlated with distinct immunologic forms, varying from a vigorous immune response mediated by cells to M. leprae, with Th1 standard in the tuberculoid polar region, to an absence of specific cellular response to antigens of M. leprae in the lepromatous polar region, with predominance of Th2 response and exacerbation of humoral response. It is probable that different polymorphic genes determine susceptibility to M. leprae. Additional studies are necessary to clarify the complex interactions between cytokines and the role of the phenotypic diversity of cells network that contribute to the host defense. The comprehension of such mechanisms will provide new insights for the identification of agonists and/or antagonists for pro- or anti-inflammatory effects, and also will indicate possible situations for its appropriate use in immunologic and/or immunotherapeutic interventions.</p>  a0037-8682