Hydrolytic enzymes in macrophages from leprosy patients in presence of Mycobacterium leprae.

Presence of Mycobacterium leprae in association with in vitro cultured macrophages, from bacillary negative long term treated lepromatous leprosy patients, induces reduced level of protein and lowering of hydrolytic enzymes like p-glucuronidase, Lysozyme and Lactic dehydrogenase. Alkaline phosphatase, on the other hand is increased. In the macrophages from normal healthy individuals or tuberculoid leprosy patients, presence of M.leprae increases both protein and levels of all the above enzymes. This observation shows that macrophages from lepromatous leprosy patients are unable to manifest in presence of M. leprae, the key enzymes involved in degradation of complex biological entities phagocytosed by the cells.