Dynamic Interplay of Th1/Th17 Immunity and Antimicrobial Gene Expression in Leprosy Skin Lesions
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ABSTRACT: Reversal reactions (RR) in leprosy provide a unique opportunity to study the dynamics of the immune response against intracellular bacteria in humans. We performed RNA sequencing on paired skin biopsy specimens from nine leprosy patients before and during RR, identifying a 64-gene antimicrobial response signature that correlated with the concomitant decrease in Mycobacterium leprae bacilli in RR patients. The upstream regulators of this antimicrobial gene signature included both innate (IL-1β, TNF) and adaptive (IFN-γ, IL-17) cytokines, indicating induction of both Th1 and Th17 responses. By using a machine learning classifier to identify proteins with predicted membrane-permeating activity, we identified 28 additional antimicrobial genes including S100A8. We validated the antimicrobial activity of four proteins (S100A7, S100A8, CCL17, CCL19) against M. leprae in infected macrophages and axenic culture. Scanning electron microscopy revealed distinct morphological changes in bacterial membranes upon exposure to these antimicrobial proteins. Our findings illuminate the dynamic regulation of antimicrobial gene expression as part of the innate and adaptive immune response against M. leprae and identify new potential antimicrobial effectors in human host defense. These insights underscore the potential for therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing Th1 and Th17 cell function to improve outcomes in mycobacterial infection in humans.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE280021 | GEO | 2024/12/21
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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