02154nas a2200313   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001600054653000900070653001200079653001000091653003200101100001100133700001700144700001100161700001400172700002000186700001200206700001400218700001300232700001700245700001100262700001600273700001700289700001100306245011000317520139900427022001401826       2023                            d  c12/202310aAdiponectin10aCCL210aleprosy10aMCP-110aSubcutaneous adipose tissue1 aReis S1 aGonçalves J1 aLima K1 aDemaria T1 aCosta-Bartuli E1 aGomes T1 aCorrêa M1 aAtella G1 aSola-Penna M1 aRosa P1 aPessolani M1 aNagajyothi J1 aLara F00aMycobacterium leprae is able to infect adipocytes, inducing lipolysis and modulating the immune response.3 a<p>Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by the intracellular bacillus Mycobacterium leprae (M.&nbsp;leprae), which is known to infect skin macrophages and Schwann cells. Although adipose tissue is a recognized site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, its role in the histopathology of leprosy was, until now, unknown. We analyzed the M.&nbsp;leprae capacity to infect and persist inside adipocytes, characterizing the induction of a lipolytic phenotype in adipocytes, as well as the effect of these infected cells on macrophage recruitment. We evaluated 3T3-L1-derived adipocytes, inguinal adipose tissue of SWR/J mice, and subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies of leprosy patients. M.&nbsp;leprae was able to infect 3T3-L1-derived adipocytes in&nbsp;vitro, presenting a strong lipolytic profile after infection, followed by significant cholesterol efflux. This lipolytic phenotype was replicated in&nbsp;vivo by M.&nbsp;leprae injection into mice inguinal adipose tissue. Furthermore, M.&nbsp;leprae was detected inside crown-like structures in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of multibacillary patients. These data indicate that subcutaneous adipose tissue could be an important site of infection, and probably persistence, for M.&nbsp;leprae, being involved in the modulation of the innate immune control in leprosy via the release of cholesterol, MCP-1, and adiponectin.</p>
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