ABSTRACT
Objective/Background: phagolysosome process in macrophage of leprosy patients' is important in the early phase of eliminating Mycobacterium leprne invasion. This study was to clarify the involvement of Rab5, Rab7, and trytophan aspartate-containing coat protein [TACO] from host macrophage and leprae lipoarabinomannan [Lep-LAM] and phenolic glycolipid-1 [PGL-1] from M. leprne cell wall as the reflection of phagolysosome process in relation to 16 subunit ribosomal RNA [16S rRNA] M. leprne as a marker of viability of M. leprae
Methods: using a cross sectional design study, skin biopsies were obtained from 47 newly diagnosed, untreated leprosy at Dr Soetomo Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia. RNA isolation and complementary DNA synthesis were performed. Samples were divided into two groups: 16S rRNA M. leprne- positive and 16S rRNA M. leprne-negative. The expressions of Rab5, Rab7, TACO, Lep-LAM, and PGL-1 were assessed with an immunohistochemistry technique
Result: using Mann-Whitney U analysis, a significant difference in the expression profile of Rab5, Rab7, Lep-LAM, and PGL-1 was found [p < .05], but there was no significant difference of TACO between the two groups [p > .05]. Spearman analysis revealed that there was a significant correlation between the score of Rab5, Rab7, Lep-LAM, and PGL-1 and the score of 16S rRNA M. leprne [p < .05]
Conclusion: in M. leprae infection, Rab5, Rab7, and Lep-LAM play important roles in the failure of phagolysosome process via a membrane trafficking pathway, while PGL-1 plays a role via blocking lysosomal activities. These inventions might be used for the development of an early diagnostic device in the future