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Genetic control of delayed type hypersensitivity to Mycobacterium leprae antigen
1Department of Dermatology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abstract:
The mechanism of genetic control of Mycobacterium leprae-specific delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) in mice was investigated in terms of footpad swelling response. Studies with various congenic and recombinant inbred strains of mouse revealed that M. leprae-specific DTH was controlled by genes within the I-A subregion. The footpad swelling response showed an antigen-specific pattern, revealing that M. leprae antigen was not cross-reactive with M. tuberculosis antigen. Treatment of immune lymphoid cells with monoclonal antibodies plus complement revealed that the cells responsible for DTH transfer were Lyt-2-, L3T4+ T cells. Suppressor T cell activity was not detected in low-responder mice.