Dynamics of Th1/Th17 responses and antimicrobial pathways in leprosy skin lesions.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUNDReversal reactions (RRs) in leprosy are acute immune episodes marked by inflammation and bacterial clearance, offering a model to study the dynamics of host responses to Mycobacterium leprae. These episodes are often severe and difficult to treat, frequently progressing to permanent disabilities. We aimed to characterize the immune mechanisms and identify antimicrobial effectors during RRs.METHODSWe performed RNA-Seq on paired skin biopsy specimens collected from 9 patients with leprosy before and at RR diagnosis, followed by differential gene expression and functional analysis. A machine-learning classifier was applied to predict membrane-permeabilizing proteins. Antimicrobial activity was assessed in M. leprae-infected macrophages and axenic cultures.RESULTSIn the paired pre-RR

SUBMITTER: Andrade PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12404764 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature