Adenosine Deaminase Activities in Lymphocytes of Leprosy Patients.
- Author:
Young Pio KIM
;
Yoo Seop CHOI
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Adenosine Deaminase*;
Adenosine*;
Communicable Diseases;
Humans;
Immune System;
Leprosy*;
Leprosy, Lepromatous;
Lymphocytes*;
Metabolism;
Mycobacterium leprae;
Severe Combined Immunodeficiency
- From:Korean Journal of Dermatology
1983;21(4):395-399
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Leprosy is an infectious diseases caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It is considered to be manifested in person with an impaired. immune system and is divided into two polar forms; the first being tuberculoid leprosy(TL) with nearly norrnal cell-mediated immunity(CMI) and the second heing lepromatous leprosy(LL) with deficient CMI. Adenosine deaminase(ADA) is an enzyme concerned with intermediary purine metabolism, which is known to be deficient in case of immunological dysfunction. To find out if there is any ADA deficiency in leprosy, the ADA activities in the lymphocytes of leprosy patients were compared with those of normal ones. The ADA activities in lymphocytes of normal subjects, TL patients and. LL patients were as follows; ID. 36-I-l. 90 units/10cells, 6. 35+0. 86units/10'cells and 4. 58+0. 52units/IO'cells respectively. The ADA activities in lymphocytes were revealed to be significantly different between normal subjects and LL patients(p<0. 01) and also between normal subjects and TL patients(p<0. 05). The lowered ADA activities in lymphocytes of leprosy patients, particularly in lepromatous leprosy, suggests a similar role in ADA for immunological response as demonstrated in severe combined immunodeficiency diseases.
