In vitro synthesis of antimycobacterial antibodies with different specificities in various tissues of leprosy patients.

For the detection of the synthesis in vitro of anti-Mycobacterium leprae antibodies in various tissues of leprosy patients, biopsy specimens of skin lesions, nasal mucosa, larynx, lymph nodes, and bone marrow were cultured in a medium containing 14C-labeled lysine and isoleucine. The culture fluids were analyzed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel and autoradiography. The results show that synthesis of anti-M. leprae antibodies occurs at the investigated sites of leprosy patients and that the specificities of the synthesized antibodies differ between sites in individual patients. It is conceivable that these antibodies play a role in the local defense against M. leprae.