The carbohydrate-containing antigens of<i>Mycobacterium leprae</i>

Abstract

The overt antigenicity of Mycobacterium leprae, as for all mycobacteria, is dominated by carbohydrate-containing entities. We now know sufficient of the immunochemistry of M. leprae to realize that its carbohydrate-based antigens are relatively simple; perhaps, the in vi vo setting of M. leprae, prior to its isolation, ensures limited autolysis. The dominant carbo hydrate-containing epitopes of M. leprae are contained within but three classes of structures: the phenolic glycolipids, the lipoarabinomannan and the insoluble cell wall skeleton. Our work over the past few years has addressed each of these complexes and herein is presented a brief review of our studies.