Antibody response to phenolic glycolipid I and Mycobacterium w antigens and its relation to bacterial load in M. Leprae -infected mice and leprosy patients

Moudgil, K D and Gupta, S K and Narayanan, P R and Srivastava, L M and Mishra, R S and Talwar, G P (1989) Antibody response to phenolic glycolipid I and Mycobacterium w antigens and its relation to bacterial load in M. Leprae -infected mice and leprosy patients. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 78 (2). pp. 214-218. ISSN Print: 0009-9104; Online: 1365-2249

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Abstract

Twenty-six inbred BALB/cBy mice were infected with live Mycobacterium leprae by injecting 6 x 103 bacilli in the hind footpad. Bleeds were collected at monthly intervals. After 6 months, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were harvested monthly from the footpad of mice. The sera were analysed in enzyme immunoassay for antibodies against phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) of M. leprae and antigens of Mycobacterium w (M. w); 21 out of 26 (80.7%) mice demonstrated the presence of antibodies against PGL-I and M. w. Anti- M.w antibodies appeared slightly earlier than did anti-PGL-I antibodies. The titre of anti- M.w antibodies was higher than that of anti-PGL-I antibodies. The mice giving a positive antibody response had more than 7 x 105 AFB/footpad. The coefficient of correlation (r) between the number of AFB and antibody titres at the time of harvest was 0.566 for PGL-I and 0.628 for M.w. The value of r for bacterial index and antibody titres in 188 leprosy patients was 0.510 for PGL-I and 0.418 for M.w; these values were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The decrease in bacterial index and antibody titres in treated lepromatous leprosy patients correlated with increase in the duration of chemotherapy. The measurement of anti-PGL-I antibodies of IgM class may serve as an adjunct to skin biopsy and skin-slit smear for serial monitoring of the bacterial load in the course of chemotherapy in leprosy control programmes.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Tuberculosis > Laboratory Research > Biochemical Tuberculosis > Laboratory Research > Immunological
Divisions:	Basic Science Research > Biochemistry
Depositing User:	Dr. Rathinasabapati R
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2013 05:44
Last Modified:	14 Mar 2016 10:12
URI:	http://eprints.nirt.res.in/id/eprint/257

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