Assessment of Dharmendra antigen. (IV) Antigenic analysis of lepromins.

In order to pinpoint the active portion of the skin antigens including Dharmendra and other lepromins, a study was carried out by subjecting the antigens to electrophoretic and immunoelectrophoretic analysis. These analyses identified two components, anionic and cationic, in lepromin sonicates. The anionic component was stainable with a protein strain, whereas cationic component formed precipitin arcs on immunoelectrophoresis with sera from lepromatous leprosy patients. BCG sonicate could also be resolved into two similar components. The cationic component of BCG apparently a glycoprotein, cross reacted with cationic component of lepromin and also showed a reaction of identity in gel diffusion. The specificity of anionic (proteinaceous) component of lepromin remains to be established.