BACKGROUND: Leprosy is an infectious disease with two polar forms, tuberculoid leprosy (TL) and lepromatous leprosy (LL), which are dominated by T-helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cells, respectively. High concentrations of prostaglandin E2 produced by the inducible enzyme cyclooxygenase type 2 (COX-2) in LL could inhibit Th1 cytokine production, contributing to T-cell anergy. OBJECTIVES: To compare the COX-2 expression in LL and TL. METHODS: Skin biopsies from 40 leprosy patients (LL, n = 20; TL, n = 20) were used to determine by immunohistochemistry and automated morphometry the percentage of COX-2 immunostained cells. RESULTS: Most COX-2-positive cells were macrophages; their percentages in the inflammatory infiltrate located in the papillary dermis, reticular dermis and periadnexally were significantly higher in LL than TL (P < 0.001 by Student's t-test). CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of COX-2 in LL may be related to high prostaglandin production contributing to T-cell anergy.
BACKGROUND:Leprosy is an infectious disease with two polar forms, tuberculoid leprosy (TL) and lepromatous leprosy (LL), which are dominated by T-helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cells, respectively. High concentrations of prostaglandin E2 produced by the inducible enzyme cyclooxygenase type 2 (COX-2) in LL could inhibit Th1 cytokine production, contributing to T-cell anergy. OBJECTIVES: To compare the COX-2 expression in LL and TL. METHODS: Skin biopsies from 40 leprosypatients (LL, n = 20; TL, n = 20) were used to determine by immunohistochemistry and automated morphometry the percentage of COX-2 immunostained cells. RESULTS: Most COX-2-positive cells were macrophages; their percentages in the inflammatory infiltrate located in the papillary dermis, reticular dermis and periadnexally were significantly higher in LL than TL (P < 0.001 by Student's t-test). CONCLUSIONS: The high expression of COX-2 in LL may be related to high prostaglandin production contributing to T-cell anergy.
Authors: J de Souza Sales; F A Lara; T P Amadeu; T de Oliveira Fulco; J A da Costa Nery; E P Sampaio; R O Pinheiro; E N Sarno Journal: Clin Exp Immunol Date: 2011-05-18 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Hong Li; Matthew L Edin; Artiom Gruzdev; Jennifer Cheng; J Alyce Bradbury; Joan P Graves; Laura M DeGraff; Darryl C Zeldin Journal: Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat Date: 2012-11-28 Impact factor: 3.072
Authors: Julio J Amaral; Luis Caetano M Antunes; Cristiana S de Macedo; Katherine A Mattos; Jun Han; Jingxi Pan; André L P Candéa; Maria das Graças M O Henriques; Marcelo Ribeiro-Alves; Christoph H Borchers; Euzenir N Sarno; Patrícia T Bozza; B Brett Finlay; Maria Cristina V Pessolani Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2013-08-15