Estimation of serum level of interleukin-17 and interleukin-4 in leprosy, towards more understanding of leprosy immunopathogenesis.

Background: Combating Mycobacterium leprae is known to be via T-helper1 response. However, other T-helper effector cells; T-helper17 and T-helper2; play a role, particularly in the context of disease type. Aims: We aimed to evaluate serum levels of interleukin (IL)-17 (T-helper17 cytokine) and IL-4 (T-helper2 cytokine) in untreated patients with different types of leprosy, compared to controls. Methods: Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, serum IL-17 and IL-4 levels were estimated in 43 leprotic patients and 43 controls. Patients were divided into six groups; tuberculoid, borderline cases, lepromatous, erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL), type 1 reactional leprosy, and pure neural leprosy. Patients were also categorized according to bacillary load and the presence or absence of reactions. Results: Serum IL-17 was signifi cantly lower in cases (4-61.5 pg/mL; median 19), compared to controls (26-55 pg/mL; median 36) (P < 0.001), and was signifi cantly lower in each type of leprosy compared to controls, with the lowest level in lepromatous leprosy (4-61.5 pg/mL; median 12.5). Signifi cantly elevated serum IL-4 was found in patients (1.31-122.4 pg/mL; median 2.31) compared to controls (1.45-5.72 pg/mL; median 2.02) (P = 0.008), with the highest level among lepromatous leprosy patients (2-87.2 pg/mL; median 28.9), and the lowest in type 1 reactional leprosy (1.4-2.5 pg/mL; median 1.87) (P = 0.006). Conclusion: Defective secretion of IL-17 is related to disease acquisition as well as progression toward lepromatous pole in leprosy patients. The overproduction of IL-4 in patients with lepromatous leprosy may infer their liability to develop ENL. Nevertheless, the small number of the studied population is a limitation.

Development and Characterization of Controlled Release Ketoprofen Microspheres.

Microspheres ketoprofen (KP) were prepared by o/w emulsion solvent evaporation technique using Eudragit®RS100 as a polymeric material. The effect of process variables such as drug: polymer ratio, stirring rate, emulsifier concentration, internal organic solvent and dispersing medium volumes were examined. The prepared formulations were characterized for particle size distribution, percent yield, entrapment efficiency, in vitro release and in vivo studies behavior. The study revealed that the mean particle size ranged from 293.06 to 438.63 μm, the KP loading efficiency varied from 60.19-87.63% of the theoretical amount incorporated, all microspheres patches exhibited a prolonged release for almost 24 hrs and the release pattern was diffusion model. The pharmacokinetic parameters, Cmax, Tmax, AUC0-24 and AUC0-∞ were calculated from the plasma drug concentration-time data. Plasma KP concentrations and pharmacokinetics parameters were statistically analyzed. The test formulation exhibited controlled and prolonged absorption (Tmax) of 6.79 ± 0.0.39 vs. 2.03 ± 0.08 and 3.32 ± 0.24 hs; Cmax of 14.42 ± 0.50 vs. 18.78 ± 0.95 and 16.58 ± 1.02 μg/ml) when compared to the plain drug and marketed product, respectively. In-vivo studies revealed that the relative bioavailability of the KP increased by more than 1.3 times by formulating it into microspheres compared to plain drug.