Mahadevan P R, Antia N H
Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis. 1980 Jun;48(2):167-71.
When macrophages from lepromatous leprosy patients are exposed to M. leprae, the macrophages show reduced protein synthesis. Such a phenomenon is not seen with macrophages from tuberculoid patients or normal individuals. M. leprae phagocytized by Schwann cells affect the incorporation of DNA precursor in the cells, leading to failure of Schwann cell association with axons in in vitro cultures. These 2 observations form a basis of proposing that basic biochemical events take place when M. leprae are associated with host cells, which in turn can be amplified to physiologically functional defects.
当来自瘤型麻风患者的巨噬细胞暴露于麻风杆菌时，巨噬细胞的蛋白质合成会减少。而在结核样型患者或正常个体的巨噬细胞中未观察到这种现象。被雪旺细胞吞噬的麻风杆菌会影响细胞中DNA前体的掺入，导致雪旺细胞在体外培养中无法与轴突结合。这两项观察结果为提出以下观点奠定了基础：当麻风杆菌与宿主细胞结合时会发生基本的生化事件，进而可能扩大为生理功能缺陷。
