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Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, January 2005, p. 130-134, Vol. 12, No. 1
1071-412X/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CDLI.12.1.130-134.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Effects of Thalidomide on Intracellular Mycobacterium leprae in Normal and Activated Macrophages

A. Tadesse1,2 and E. J. Shannon2*

Department of Pathobiological Sciences,1 National Hansen's Disease Programs, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana2

Received 21 September 2004/ Returned for modification 18 October 2004/ Accepted 27 October 2004

Thalidomide is an effective drug for the treatment of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). ENL is an inflammatory reaction that may occur in multibacillary leprosy patients. Its cause(s) as well as the mechanism of thalidomide in arresting this condition are not fully understood. It has been suggested that ENL is an immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity precipitated by the release of Mycobacterium leprae from macrophages. The released antigen may complex with precipitating antibodies, initiating complement fixation and the production of inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-{alpha}). Thalidomide has been shown in vitro to reduce antigen- or mitogen-activated macrophage production of TNF-{alpha}. We investigated if thalidomide could also influence the viability of intracellular M. leprae. Mouse peritoneal macrophages were infected with M. leprae, activated with gamma interferon and endotoxin, or nonactivated, and treated with thalidomide. Intracellular bacilli were recovered, and metabolic activity was assessed by a radiorespirometric procedure. Thalidomide did not possess antimicrobial action against M. leprae in normal and activated host macrophages. This suggests that thalidomide does not retard the release of mycobacterial antigens, a possible prelude or precipitating factor for ENL. A distinct sequence of events explaining the mechanism of action for thalidomide's successful treatment of ENL has yet to be established.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: National Hansen's Disease Programs, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone: (225) 785-9842. Fax: (225) 758-9856. E-mail: eshann1{at}lsu.edu.

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, January 2005, p. 130-134, Vol. 12, No. 1
1071-412X/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/CDLI.12.1.130-134.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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