Insights from animal models on the immunogenetics of leprosy: a review
Insights from animal models on the immunogenetics of leprosy: a review
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DOI：
10.1590/s0074-02762012000900028
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发表时间：
2012-12-01
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Truman, Richard W
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Adams, Linda B;Pena, Maria T;Truman, Richard W
多种宿主免疫遗传因素似乎会影响个体对麻风分枝杆菌感染的易感性以及疾病的病理过程。动物模型可以通过比较研究帮助确认各种已识别特征的重要性并破译可能涉及不同疾病相关表型表达的潜在机制，从而有助于更好地了解免疫遗传学在麻风病中的作用。具有特定免疫或生化途径缺陷的基因工程小鼠对于研究肉芽肿形成和感染抵抗力特别有用，并且为麻风病谱系的边缘区域提供了新的线索，这些区域在临床上不稳定并且有免疫并发症的倾向。尽管犰狳在这方面尚不发达，但这些动物是麻风分枝杆菌唯一的其他天然宿主，它们为比较研究与疾病易感性或抵抗力相关的遗传标记和机制，特别是麻风病的神经系统方面提供了独特的机会。在本文中，我们回顾了基因工程小鼠和犰狳对我们了解麻风病免疫遗传学的最新贡献。
A variety of host immunogenetic factors appear to influence both an individual's susceptibility to infection with Mycobacterium leprae and the pathologic course of the disease. Animal models can contribute to a better understanding of the role of immunogenetics in leprosy through comparative studies helping to confirm the significance of various identified traits and in deciphering the underlying mechanisms that may be involved in expression of different disease related phenotypes. Genetically engineered mice, with specific immune or biochemical pathway defects, are particularly useful for investigating granuloma formation and resistance to infection and are shedding new light on borderline areas of the leprosy spectrum which are clinically unstable and have a tendency toward immunological complications. Though armadillos are less developed in this regard, these animals are the only other natural hosts of M. leprae and they present a unique opportunity for comparative study of genetic markers and mechanisms associable with disease susceptibility or resistance, especially the neurological aspects of leprosy. In this paper, we review the recent contributions of genetically engineered mice and armadillos toward our understanding of the immunogenetics of leprosy.