Korean J Dermatol.  1978 Dec;16(6):417-421.

A Study on the prevalence of Autoantibodies in Korean Pationts with Leprosy

• Moon KC
• Chin YW
• Kim WS

Abstract

It has been increasingly clear that the defence against Mycobacterium leprae(M. leprae) appears mainly to depend on cell-mediated rather than humoral immune mechanism. Nevertheless, the M. leprae is not only capable of producing specific humoral antibody, but also stimulating the formation of a variety of autoantibodies, since mycobacteria are known to exert adjuvant effect. Although the exact role of the autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of leprosy is not known, it is remarkable that the prevalence of autoantibodies has been reported different by several investigators, suggesting the possibility of geographical or racial difference. This study was undertaken to investigate the prevalence of some autoantibodies in Korean patients with leprosy. Eighty patients with leprosy registered at the Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital entered this study from February, 1977 through October, 1978, The diagnosis was made by clinical, histological, bacteriological and immunological assessments and the patients were classified according to the Ridley-Jopling scale. All patients were under anti leprosy chemotherapy with DDS (Diaminodiphenylsulfone) for various periods at the time of study. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test was performed in 80 patients and the sera displaying reactive VDRL were subjected to re-examination by Treponema Pallidum Hemagglutinin Assay (TPHA). Rbeumatoid factor was sought by means of latex fixation test in 66 patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) was detected by means of latex agglutination reaction in 61 patients using polysterene latex complexed with calf thymus deoxyribonucleoprotein. Cryoprotein was detected as described elsewhere. Four of the 80 patients(5%) showed reactive VDRL, while rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibody were not detectable in all cases. Cryoprotein was detected in 15 patients (27. 3 %). Compared with other reports on the prevalence of autoantibodies in Caucacian and African patients, we found a much lower frequency. This result may be expained partly by the racial or geographic difference in the pattern of leprosy as suggeste4 by Turk.

MeSH Terms

Agglutination
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Autoantibodies*
Dermatology
Diagnosis
Drug Therapy
Hemagglutinins
Humans
Latex
Latex Fixation Tests
Leprosy*
Mycobacterium
Prevalence*
Research Personnel
Rheumatoid Factor
Seoul
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Thymus Gland
Treponema pallidum
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Autoantibodies
Hemagglutinins
Latex
Rheumatoid Factor