Deciphering the contribution of lipid droplets in leprosy: multifunctional organelles with roles in Mycobacterium leprae pathogenesis

Leprosy is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that affects the skin and nerves, presenting a singular clinical picture. Across the leprosy spectrum, lepromatous leprosy (LL) exhibits a classical hallmark: the presence of a collection of M. leprae-infected foamy macrophages/Schwann cells characterised by their high lipid content. The significance of this foamy aspect in mycobacterial infections has garnered renewed attention in leprosy due to the recent observation that the foamy aspect represents cells enriched in lipid droplets (LD) (also known as lipid bodies). Here, we discuss the contemporary view of LD as highly regulated organelles with key functions in M. leprae persistence in the LL end of the spectrum. The modern methods of studying this ancient disease have contributed to recent findings that describe M. leprae-triggered LD biogenesis and recruitment as effective mycobacterial intracellular strategies for acquiring lipids, sheltering and/or dampening the immune response and favouring bacterial survival, likely representing a fundamental aspect of M. leprae pathogenesis. The multifaceted functions attributed to the LD in leprosy may contribute to the development of new strategies for adjunctive anti-leprosy therapies.

Utilidad de la inmunocitoquímica en la identificación de cuerpos de Mallory: análisis teórico de su formación / Utility of immunocytochemistry in the identification of Mallory's bodies: theorical analysis of its formation

Mallory bodies are hepatocyte intracytoplasmic inclusions frequently observed in liver diseases. They contain altered intermediary filaments that have immunoreactivity with epidermic antikeratin antibodies (A-QEp). They also contain Ubiquitin (Ubq) a 76 residue polypeptide that has an important role in the proteolysis of rapid exchange and abnormal cytosol proteins. To standarize an immunohistochemical method for the detection of Mallory bodies in percutaneous liver biopsies. A-QEp and A-Ubq polyclonnal antibodies were used in the study of 131 percutaneous liver biopsies obtained from patients with different liver diseases. Mallory body immunoreactivity was confirmed with immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated that Mallory bodies are partially formed by altered intermediate filaments. In conclusion, antibodies againnst ubiquitin may be very useful for the detection of Mallory bodies in liver biopsies