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. 1978 Oct;34(1):46–51.

The role of macrophages in the lymphoproliferative response to Mycobacterium leprae in vitro.

H Hirschberg
PMCID: PMC1537460  PMID: 373933

Abstract

Peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients suffering from lepromatous leprosy do not normally react in vitro to stimulation by Mycobacterium leprae antigens. In contrast, we found that T cells from non-responding patients in combination with macrophages from responding patients or healthy contacts did respond well to M. leprae. Conversely, T cells from responding patients or healthy contacts in combinations with macrophages from non-responding patients failed to respond. It seems, therefore, that the lack of response normally observed in in vitro tests using cells from lepromatous leprosy patients is due to a failure of their macrophages to present M. leprae antigens in an immunogenic form.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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