IgM anti-phenolic glycolipid I and IgG anti-10-kDa heat shock protein antibodies in sera and immune complexes isolated from leprosy patients with or without erythema nodosum leprosum and contacts

• Published in: FEMS immunology and medical microbiology 1997-09, Vol.19 (1), p.65-74
• Main Authors: Rojas, R.E., Demichelis, S.O., Sarno, E.N., Segal-Eiras, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 10‐kDa Heat shock protein; Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial - analysis; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antibodies, Bacterial - immunology; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigen-Antibody Complex - analysis; Antigen-Antibody Complex - immunology; Antigen-Antibody Complex - isolation & purification; Antigen-antibody complexes; Antigens, Bacterial - immunology; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Chaperonin 10 - genetics; Chaperonin 10 - immunology; Comparative studies; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Erythema; Erythema nodosum; Erythema Nodosum - blood; Erythema Nodosum - immunology; Erythema nodosum leprosum; Erythrocytes; Glycolipids - immunology; Heat shock proteins; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Immune complex; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin G - analysis; Immunoglobulin M; Immunoglobulin M - analysis; Immunoglobulins; Infectious diseases; Leprosy; Leprosy, Lepromatous - blood; Leprosy, Lepromatous - immunology; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Phenolic compounds; Phenolic glycolipid I; Phenols; Polyethylene glycol; Polyethylene Glycols - pharmacology; Recombinant Proteins - immunology; Tropical bacterial diseases
• ISSN: 0928-8244; 1574-695X; 2049-632X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.1997.tb01073.x

Abstract The aim of the present work was to evaluate the levels of anti-PGL-I and anti-10-kDa heat shock protein antibodies in serum and immune complexes isolated from leprosy patients, convivients and controls. Leprosy patients with erythema nodosum leprosum or without it were included and a comparative study was done to investigate intergroup differences. Immune complexes were precipitated from serum by polyethylene glycol 3.5%; antibody levels were measured in sera and in dissociated immune complexes by ELISA. Serum antibody levels were then correlated with immune complex-associated antibody levels. The results showed that the erythema nodosum leprosum group differed from controls, contacts and non-erythema patients in their immune complex levels. IgM anti-PGL-I and IgG anti-10-kDa heat shock protein antibodies were constituents of the immune complexes in patients with erythema nodosum leprosum, who exhibited a significant difference in their immune complex composition compared with controls, contacts and non-erythema patients; while free antibody levels (anti-PGL-I and anti-10-kDa) did not differentiate between erythema and non-erythema patients, the measurement of immune complex-associated antibodies demonstrated a significant difference between the two clinical conditions. Furthermore, the measurement of immune complex-associated anti-PGL-I IgM made it possible to differentiate between contacts and controls. The significance of these results is discussed.