REGULATION OF BCG-PSN ON TH1/TH2 CYTOKINE SECRETION FROM PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEAR CELLS IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China

Zheng HY, Liu CH, Cai LL, Chen YZ

 

Object:  We report an in vitro Study of the regulation of BCG-PSN on Th1/Th2 cytokine production from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in asthmatic children, comparing with that of dexamethasone.

Methods: Twelve asthmatic children were selected for study. PBMC were obtained and incubated with PHA, PHA plus BCG-PSN and PHA plus dexamethasone respectively for 48 hours, and IFN-r (Th1) and IL-4 (Th2) in the supernatants were determined by ELISA.

Results:  In comparison with PHA (623.4+691.8), BCG-PSN could increase the production of IFN-r (777.6+802.8,p<0.01), whereas dexamethasone reduced it (122.8+19.8, p<0.01). However, dexamethasone exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on the production of IL-4 (1.02+0.52, p<0.01), and BCG-PSN showed no effect (34.7+21.9, p>0.05) in contrast to PHA (31.6+19.4). Either BCG-PSN or dexamethasone increased the ratio of IFN-r/IL-4 as compared with PHA (p<0.05 and p<0.01 respectively).

Conclusion: We proposed that both BCG-PSN and dexamethasone can ameliorate the balance of Th1/Th2 to enhance the Th1 activity. So we believe that increasing of IFN-r/IL-4 maybe involved in the mechanisms of BCG-PSN in its treatment for asthma.

 
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