HES1 and leprosy: When evaluating the transcription of genes related to the Notch signaling pathway, we found significant changes in the expression of Hes-1 and Runx-1 in leprosy samples, in fact, Hes-1 gene was found to be downregulated in the samples of leprosy patients This allows us to infer that Hes-1 would not be related to the deterioration of the dermal nerve fiber caused by M. leprae, given that Hes-1 overexpression is necessary to induce nerve damage (10).