ROLE OF MACROPHAGES IN LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE RESPONSE TO MYCOBACTERIUM-LEPRAE INVITRO

Abstract

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients suffering from lepromatous leprosy do not normally react in vitro to stimulation by M. leprae antigens. T [thymus derived] cells from non-responding patients in combination with macrophages from responding patients or healthy contacts responded well to M. leprae. T cells from responding patients or healthy contacts in combinations with macrophages from non-responding patients failed to respond. The lack of response normally observed in in vitro tests using cells from lepromatous leprosy patients is probably due to a failure of their macrophages to present M. leprae antigens in an immunogenic form.