Korean J Dermatol.  1983 Aug;21(4):395-399.

Adenosine Deaminase Activities in Lymphocytes of Leprosy Patients

• Kim YP
• Choi YS

Abstract

Leprosy is an infectious diseases caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is considered to be manifested in person with an impaired. immune system and is divided into two polar forms; the first being tuberculoid leprosy(TL) with nearly norrnal cell-mediated immunity(CMI) and the second heing lepromatous leprosy(LL) with deficient CMI. Adenosine deaminase(ADA) is an enzyme concerned with intermediary purine metabolism, which is known to be deficient in case of immunological dysfunction. To find out if there is any ADA deficiency in leprosy, the ADA activities in the lymphocytes of leprosy patients were compared with those of normal ones. The ADA activities in lymphocytes of normal subjects, TL patients and. LL patients were as follows; ID. 36-I-l. 90 units/10cells, 6. 35+0. 86units/10'cells and 4. 58+0. 52units/IO'cells respectively. The ADA activities in lymphocytes were revealed to be significantly different between normal subjects and LL patients(p<0. 01) and also between normal subjects and TL patients(p<0. 05). The lowered ADA activities in lymphocytes of leprosy patients, particularly in lepromatous leprosy, suggests a similar role in ADA for immunological response as demonstrated in severe combined immunodeficiency diseases.

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Deaminase*
Adenosine*
Communicable Diseases
Humans
Immune System
Leprosy*
Leprosy, Lepromatous
Lymphocytes*
Metabolism
Mycobacterium leprae
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency
Adenosine
Adenosine Deaminase