FEATURES OF IMMUNE RESPONSE AMONG MAJOR LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS FROM PERIPHERAL BLOOD DURING EXACERBATION OF CHRONIC GASTRITIS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the features of immune response for main subpopulations of peripheral blood lymphocytes during exacerbation of chronic gastritis, depending on the severity of gastric mucosal atrophy. A comprehensive survey of 122 patients with acute exacerbation of chronic gastritis was performed. The patients with chronic focal-atrophic and atrophic gastritis in acute stage were characterized by increased numbers of CD3+ lymphocytes, CD4+, CD8+ and CD16+ cell populations, decreased CD19+ lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood. During exacerbation of non-atrophic gastritis, an increase of CD4+ and CD16+ cell counts was associated with a decrease in the CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes. A concomitant increase in CD4+ cell numbers, as well as elevated IL-2 and IFNγ levels in peripheral blood of patients may reflect activation of cellular immunity, which could be induced by the dysplasia of gastric mucosa and co-infection with Helicobacter/herpesvirus. Domination of increased IL-2 and IFNγ over IL-4 and IL-10 levels suggests the Th1-profile of cellular immune response. Upon exacerbation of non-atrophic gastritis, the immunoregulatory index exceeded the values of clinically healthy subjects and those of patients with atrophic gastritis. We observed statistically significant differences for CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+ lymphocytes, immunoregulatory index, and serum levels of IL-2, depending on presence and severity of gastric mucosal atrophy.

Keywords

• lymphocyte subpopulations
• interleukins
• interferon
• chronic gastritis
• gastric mucosa atrophy