SPECIFIC STAGE-DEPENDENT FEATURES OF CYTOKINE CASCADE IN THE PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

Abstract

Abstract. A study of leukocyte regulation system in patients with exacerbated bronchial asthma (BA) was performed by means of measuring spontaneous and induced production of certain cytokines (IL-4, IL-1b, IL-10 and IFNg) in whole blood, and drawing some specific coefficients reflecting production of the cytokines, as compared to control values. Group 1 consisted of mixed-type BA patients, with mild clinical manifestations at exacerbation stage. A control group included twelve healthy persons. The cytokine network was evaluated according to spontaneous production of cytokines (IL-4, IL-1b, IL-10 and IFNg), or their induction with standard mitogens (PHA and E. coli LPS). The results obtained have shown that in BA as a clinical model of chronic inflammation, synthesis and activation of the cytokines depend on the phase of disease. At stage of exacerbation, an imbalance occurs between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, with predominance of anti-inflammatory IL-10, which is targeted to suppression of bronchial inflammation.

Keywords

• bronchial asthma
• cytokines
• il-4
• il-1
• il-10
• ifn