We analyzed the presence of M4 macrophage markers (CD68, MRP8, MMP7, IL-6, and TNF-α) in 33 leprosy skin lesion samples from 18 patients with tuberculoid leprosy and 15 with lepromatous leprosy by immunohistochemistry.
These results confirm previous findings of an association of TNF -308A with protection from leprosy and MBL polymorphisms with protection from lepromatous leprosy.
This study investigated the profiles of cytokines, such as interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in response to Mycobacterium leprae in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with the TLR2 mutation Arg677Trp, a recently reported polymorphism that is associated with lepromatous leprosy.
Likewise, cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and TNFbeta were also present in reactional and tuberculoid patients as opposed to lepromatous leprosy (BL/LL).