Transcriptional Changes That Characterize The Immune Reactions Of Leprosy

Methods.aEuro integral To discover host factors related to immune reactions, global transcriptional profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were compared between 11 RR, 11 ENL, and 19 matched control patients, with confirmation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Encoded proteins were investigated in skin biopsy specimens by means of immunohistochemistry.Results.aEuro integral There were 275 genes differentially expressed in RR and 517 differentially expressed in ENL on the microarray. Pathway analysis showed immunity-related pathways represented in RR and ENL transcriptional profiles, with the "complement and coagulation" pathway common to both. Interferon gamma was identified as a significant upstream regulator of the expression changes for RR and ENL. Immunohistochemical staining of skin lesions showed increased C1q in both RR and ENL.Conclusions.aEuro integral These data suggest a previously underrecognized role for complement in the pathogenesis of both RR and ENL, and we propose new hypotheses for reaction pathogenesis.