CHARACTERISTICS OF IMMUNOCOMPETENT CELLS IN CHILDREN WITH ALLERGEN-INDUCED PHENOTYPE OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA TREATED WITH GLUCOSEMINYLMURAMILDIPEPTIDE

Abstract

Purpose: to study the changes in quantitative values and functional activity of immunocompetent cells on application of glucoseminylmuramildipeptide in children with allergen-induced phenotype of bronchial asthma.We have performed an integrated assessment of parameters of innate and acquired immunity in 60 children at the age of 3-11 years old with allergen-induced bronchial asthma (BA) with mild clinical course of disease, and in 30 healthy children of the same age. BA phenotypes were verified in accordance with PRACTALL international consensus report (2008). Study exclusion criteria were: severe course of bronchial asthma and application of immunocorrecting therapy during preceding six months. We conducted a prospective parallel open study of the effect of glucoseminylmuramildipeptide on the parameters of immunocompetent cells during three months with division into two control groups by random sampling technique on the basis of therapy being performed. To analyze the venous blood cells, we used flow cytofluorometer COULTER EPICS XL by Beckman Coulter Inc. Cytokine levels were determined using immunoenzyme method with reagents by R&D Diagnostics Inc (USA) and IgE – with reagents by Alkor Bio Company (St. Petersburg), production of cytokines – using reagents by Vektor-Best (Novosibirsk). Statistical processing of data was performed using Statistica 10 program with significance level p < 0.05, assessment of correlations by Spearman correlation analysis, multidimensional correlation analysis with V.P. Terentyev’s method of correlation pleiades (1959) and testing for normal distribution of characteristic values (Shapiro–Wilk). The scope of our study permitted to evaluate its findings with accuracy 95-99%.The changes of the adaptive response system in children with allergen-induced phenotype of BA were characterized by the intensified proliferation, suppression of negative regulation processes, activation of synthesis of Th2-profile cytokines, and intensified synthesis of IgE.The identified impairments of availability, functional activity of immunocompetent cells and cytokine production were preserved in application of inhaled corticosteroids therapy, with further decreasing of IFNγ synthesis.Application of glucoseminylmuramildipeptide in children with BA provided for reduction of spontaneous and mitogen-induced production of IL-4 and correction of deviated structural and functional characteristics of immunocompetent cells.Incorporation of glucoseminylmuramildipeptide into therapeutic regimens for allergen-induced phenotype of BA in children promoted normalization of parameters of the cellular component of immune system, amelioration of Th1/Th2-imbalance, increase of Th1 activity, and adequate spontaneous and induced production of IFNγ by peripheral blood cells.

Keywords

• immunocompetent cells
• glucosaminylmuramyldipeptide
• allergen-induced bronchial asthma
• children