Comparative analysis of reticulin and collagen fibers' distribution in patients with sarcoidosis and tuberculoid leprosy

Abstract

The differential diagnosis between cutaneous sarcoidosis and tuberculoid leprosy ( MHT ) is not easily achieved because the clinical and histological findings may be similar. The texture analysis of collagen and reticulin fibers and the immunophenotypic profile of inflammatory cells in skin samples could help to distinguish the two processes and add elements to the understanding of the pathogenesis of both diseases. Skin samples from patients with MHT and with sarcoidosis, matched for age and sex, will be studied. Clinical data of each patient will be obtained from HC - UNICAMP medical files. Digital images from reticulin will be acquired in a blinded way and analyzed through ImageJ software. To study collagen, images will be acquired at the National Institute of Applied Photonics for Cell Biology (INFABIC), in a multiphoton microscope, with the technique of second harmonic generation (SHG), using laserTi sapphire in 940nm in immersion oil and 40x, in routine staining sections. The results will be tested under the following statistical methods: Pearson correlation, ANOVA and Student t test. (AU)