APOA1 and leprosy: The chronic disease observed on leprosy patients creates an environment of constant inflammation and, because of the presence of M. leprae in the blood of multibacillary patients [100], maybe exposing hepatic cells directly to M. leprae. To test this hypothesis, the direct exposition of hepatic cells (HepG2) cells in vitro to live M. leprae was performed, and a down-regulation on ApoA-I synthesis was observed.