The content of antimicrobial peptides in young children  with acute bronchitis depending on the etiological factor

Abstract

We have investigated the level of antimicrobial peptides in the blood serum of 46 young children with acute bronchitis depending on the etiological factor. It was found that the development of severe bronchitis in 74.3 % of patients is caused by the colonization of the respiratory tract with bacterial flora. The Gram-negative bacteria Haemophilus influenzaе (32.6 %) is a leading etiological factor in the development of acute bacterial bronchitis. It is proved that the development of acute bronchitis in young children occurs due to lower activity of the antimicrobial peptide (human bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (hBPI)), and is independent of etiologic factor. The activity of lactoferrin in young children is characterized by multi-directional changes depending on the etiological factor. In the presence of bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract, there was not a sufficient activation of lactoferrin synthesis, but in viral bronchitis, levels of lactoferrin were elevated. The content of β1-defensins in the blood serum decreased only in bronchitis caused by Gram-negative bacteria Haemophilus influenzaе. The while in patients with viral bronchitis and children, in which Streptococcus pneumoniae has been detected, the content of β1-defensins was not statistically different from that of the control group. It was found that the lowest values of antimicrobial peptides were registered in bronchitis caused by Gram-negative bacteria Haemophilus influenzaе, in which there was the most severe disease.

Keywords

• acute bronchitis
• β1-defensins
• lactoferrin
• bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (hBPI)
• children