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Vascular changes in nerves in experimental leprosy--an ultrastructural study.
Leprosy in India
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Ultrastructural changes in mouse nerve blood vessels infected with Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) show cell degeneration. These changes suggest harmful substances circulating in the bloodstream during infection.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pathology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) infection can affect various tissues, including nervous system vasculature.
- Understanding the pathological changes in nerve blood vessels is crucial for comprehending disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ultrastructural changes in nerve blood vessels of CBA/J mice experimentally infected with M. leprae.
- To identify cellular and structural alterations indicative of M. leprae-induced vascular pathology.
Main Methods:
- Ultrastructural analysis using electron microscopy was performed on nerve blood vessels.
- CBA/J mice were experimentally infected with M. leprae.
- Samples were collected at different infection durations (6-9 months and 9-15 months).
Main Results:
- Early infection (6-9 months) showed cytoplasmic filaments, large vacuoles in endothelial cells, and basement membrane reduplication.
- Late infection (9-15 months) revealed endothelial cells with a foamy appearance due to increased vacuolation.
- These alterations suggest degenerative changes in endothelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Nerve blood vessel endothelial cells undergo degenerative changes during M. leprae infection.
- The observed changes may result from circulating noxious substances associated with the infection.
- Ultrastructural findings provide insights into the vascular pathology of leprosy.