Immune Netw.  2002 Dec;2(4):223-226. 10.4110/in.2002.2.4.223.

Serum Levels of Type 2 Chemokines in Lepromatous Leprosy Patients

• Lew W
• Nakamura K
• Tada Y
• Kwahck H
• Chang SK
• Tamaki K

• KMID: 1974521
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4110/in.2002.2.4.223

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The type 2 deviated immunological state is predominant in lepromatous leprosy. Erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) is an immune-complex mediated reaction that typically occurs in lepromatous leprosy. To date, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-2 receptor, IL-10, IL-1beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were reported to be higher in lepromatous leprosy. TNF-alpha is also known to be higher in ENL, which is reduced after thalidomide treatment. However the serum type 2 chemokine levels in lepromatous leprosy patients have not been reported.
METHODS
The serum levels of the type 2 chemokines such as thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) and eotaxin together with IL-12 and IL-10 in the sera from leprosy patients were detected using an enzyme-linked solvent assay (ELISA) method.
RESULTS
The Serum TARC, MDC, eotaxin, IL-10 and IL-12 levels in lepromatous leprosy patients were not significantly different from the normal control levels. The serum levels were not significantly different between the paucibacillary group and multibacillary group. The serum TARC or MDC levels in the ENL patients were more reduced after a treatment containing thalidomide.
CONCLUSION
The type 2 chemokines are not related to the severity of lepromatous leprosy. The larger reducing effect of the TARC or MDC levels in ENL patients by a treatment containing thalidomide suggests the potential role of these chemokines in the development of ENL and the therapeutic mechanism of thalidomide.

Keyword

Type 2 chemokine; TARC; MDC; eotaxin; lepromatous leprosy; erythema nodosum leprosum

MeSH Terms

Chemokine CCL17
Chemokine CCL2
Chemokine CCL22
Chemokines*
Erythema Nodosum
Humans
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-12
Interleukins
Leprosy
Leprosy, Lepromatous*
Receptors, Interleukin-10
Thalidomide
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Chemokine CCL17
Chemokine CCL2
Chemokine CCL22
Chemokines
Interleukin-1
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-12
Interleukins
Receptors, Interleukin-10
Thalidomide
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha