Russian Journal of Immunology

One of the significant methodological problems that arise in the study of cells of the innate immunity of invertebrates is the unsuitability of culture media and even salt solutions intended for mammals and humans. Another important methodological point is the significantly pronounced reactions of coagulation, which play an important protective role in all invertebrates, but manifest themselves in vitro in cellular suspensions prepared even with optimal saline solutions for this animal. To solve this problem, researchers widely use an anticoagulation buffer with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) even in functional tests. From the standpoint of traditional approaches of mammalian immunology, the use of EDTA is possible only for the study of cell morphology, but not their functions. The aim of the work is to adapt methodological approaches to the comparative assessment of cellular reactions of innate immunity in Pomacea sp mollusks in experimental aseptic inflammation. To evaluate the functions of phagocytic cells in mollusk Pomacea sp., we used a complete salt solution (CSS) with optimal concentrations of glucose, calcium ions, magnesium with addition to prevent coagulation, cellular aggregation and degranulation instead of EDTA sodium salt of heparin at a concentration of 100 IU/mL (CSS-hep). As a result of a specially conducted experiment, it was shown that during incubation of hemolymph cells in this solution, their viability is preserved, evaluated by flow laser cytometry during incubation with annexin V-PE (PE Annexin V) and 7-aminoactinomycin D (7- AAD), as well as in a test with trypan blue. The possibility of studying the phagocytic activity and a phagosome acidification of leukocytes from hemolymph, hematopoiesis organ (kidney) and the focus of inflammation induced by intramuscular injection of sterile suspension of zymosan using CSS-hep is shown. Unlike the Limnaea stagnalis and Biomphalaria glabrata mollusks, in which the production of reactive oxygen species by phagocytes in the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence reaction is well documented, we were unable to induce this reaction in Pomacea sp. mollusks. In a specially conducted experiment, we did not reveal the effect of the sodium salt of heparin at a concentration of 100 IU/mL on the production of reactive oxygen species by rat phagocytes.

Previously, we identified a new factor of autoimmunity downregulation, called regulatory rheumatoid factor (regRF). The production of regRF was associated with the resistance of animals to the experimental autoimmune diseases or with the remission in animals that are sensitive to the autoimmune diseases. The action of regulatory rheumatoid factor is based on the killing of activated CD4 T lymphocytes expressing PD-1, which makes it possible to restrain the expansion of lymphocytes, including autoreactive ones. RegRF-specific epitopes (regRF epitopes) can be induced on IgG Fc fragments. Immunization of rats with homologous IgG Fc fragments bearing regRF epitopes suppresses symptoms, lymphocytic infiltration and target tissue damage in several experimental models of autoimmune diseases. An in vitro study of the mechanisms of regRF-producing lymphocytes activation by IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes showed that IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes are T cell-independent antigens type 2. The reactions of the immune system, in particular in lymphoid organs, to T cell-independent antigens type 2, especially having a protein nature, are poorly studied. The purpose of this work is to study the reactions of the spleen and lymph nodes of rats to immunization with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes. Wistar rats were immunized subcutaneously with 500 μg of homologous IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes. Control animals received an injection of phosphate-buffered saline. Immunization with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes caused a transient increase of regulatory rheumatoid factor blood level with a maximum on day 7 after immunization. It was found that immunization with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes does not cause a reaction in the regional and distal lymph nodes of rats, but induces the development of secondary follicles in spleen that exist for at least 28 days. On day 49, the number of follicles with germinal centers in the spleen of rats immunized with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes was lower than in control rats. Consequently, the reaction of splenic follicles in rats immunized with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes is transient. No changes were detected in the periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths (splenic T cell zone) in rats immunized with IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes. Thus, IgG Fc fragments carrying regRF epitopes, being a T cell-independent antigens type 2, do not cause a reaction in the lymph nodes, but induce the development of germinal centers in the spleen that exist for several weeks.

The purpose of the study was to analyze indicators of apoptosis in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD). Patients (N = 88) aged from 12 months to 3 years with varying degrees of disease severity were involved into trial. SCORAD indices were: 68.14±2.63 – in patients with severe AD; 32.03±1.43 – with moderate; and 12.12±1.43 – with mild AD, respectively. Determination of apoptosis markers (Caspase 8, Caspase 9, sCD153, sFas-L, Annexin 5) in blood serum was performed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using commercial kits from Bender MedSystems^® (Austria). A study of apoptosis markers in the blood serum of children with AD revealed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the concentration of Annexin 5 compared to standard values (by 20 times). A statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the concentration levels of Caspase 8 and Caspase 9 in the serum of AD patients was revealed. Thus, the concentrations of Caspase 8 were reduced on by 3 times, and Caspase 9 by 8 times compared to the norm. Also In addition, when determining sFas-L indicators, a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in concentration was noted compared to standard indicators. The content of sCD153 in the blood serum in AD patients was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the normative values by 5 times (not detected normally). The most pronounced disturbances in apoptosis indicators were observed in patients with severe atopic dermatitis, (p < 0.05), highlighting the importance of studying apoptosis in the context of AD and the possible link between disruptions in this process and the severity of clinical manifestations in patients. The study demonstrates the peculiarities of apoptosis processes in children with AD. On the one hand, these patients have significantly increased activation of signaling systems, on the other hand, the elimination of altered immunocompetent cells does not occur properly, which contributes to the progression and chronicity of immune inflammation in the skin.

Progressive damage of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) underlies the pathogenesis of degenerative retinal diseases such as: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Stargardt’s disease, retinitis pigmentosa, Best’s disease and others. This group of diseases led by AMD leads to irreversible loss of visual functions, blindness and disability. The possibilities of therapy of late stages of AMD are extremely limited. The most promising approach to replace the damaged retinal pigment epithelium appears to be transplantation of RPE cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-RPE) into the subretinal space (SRS). Despite immune privilege in the SRS, transplantation of xenogeneic cellular material causes severe inflammation in the posterior segment of the eye and leads to graft rejection in an in vivo experiment in the absence of immunosuppression. The solution to the problem of tissue incompatibility in this case can be the use of combined immunosuppressive therapy (CIT), aimed, on the one hand, at suppression of local inflammation (in the eye) and, on the other hand, at suppression of the systemic transplantation immune response. The aim of the study: clinical and immunological analysis of the results of transplantation of IPSC-RPE suspension on the background of CIT, including single intravitreal intraoperative administration of kenalog and further systemic application of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), in the model of RPE atrophy in rabbits. Standard and specialized ophthalmological examination was performed at early and distant terms after the intervention in order to clinically assess the posttransplantation process. To analyze the immune status, vitreous humor (VH) and blood serum (BS) of rabbits of the experimental groups were collected. The concentrations of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and IL-2 were determined in the biomaterial using solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. According to the results of the study, subretinal transplantation of IPSC-RPE, performed against the background of combination of single intravitreal intraoperative administration of kenalog and systemic application of MMF, is a safe method, which provides preservation of the retina and other adjacent structures of the eye and allows to prevent rejection of xenogenic material during its transplantation both in a healthy eye and with pre-formed RPE atrophy, which opens perspectives for full testing of biological effects realized by IPSC-RPE.

Clinical signs of the presence of immune dysfunction/insufficiency, identified by questioning workers at the landfill for the storage and destruction of industrial toxic waste, were the basis for performing a screening study of immune status. This included a clinical blood test with determination of the leukocyte formula, assessment of the phenotypic status of lymphocytes for the main subpopulations, determination of the concentration in serum immunoglobulins of various classes, assessment of the migration activity of leukocytes, assessment of the microbicidal capacity of neutrophils and their ability to phagocytosis. When the examined employees were found to have more than 20% changes in the normative range of immune status parameters and the presence of combined disorders in different parts of immunoreactivity, in particular combined disorders in the cellular part of the immune system, it was the basis for conducting an in-depth stage of immunoepidemiological examination. This included determination of functional activity cellular elements of the adaptive component of immunity, assessment of the severity of autosensitization, assessment of the severity and specificity of atopic hypersensitization, assessment of cytokine status in normal conditions and in response to mitogen. When assessing the phenotypic status of immunoreactivity cells, it turned out that the absolute number of T lymphocytes (CD3⁺ phenotype), helper T lymphocytes (CD3⁺CD4⁺ phenotype) and killer T lymphocytes (CD3⁺CD8⁺ phenotype) was significantly reduced in the peripheral blood of test site employees (p ≤ 0.05, compared with similar indicators in the control group). On the contrary, the content of NK cells (CD3^-CD56⁺ phenotype) tended to increase (both the absolute number and the proportion among other lymphocyte populations). Dysfunction of the cellular component of humoral immunoreactivity (a significant decrease in the absolute number of lymphocytes with the CD3^-CD20⁺ phenotype [B lymphocytes] in the peripheral blood), as well as a significant increase in the concentration of serum IgA-class immunoglobulin and pronounced disimmunoglobulinemia in the serum of the examined individuals (compared to individuals in the control group ) indicated a predominantly inhalation method of exposure to immunotoxic industrial toxicants from the landfill on the immune system. Pathogenetically targeted immune-oriented therapy for the personnel of the test site was carried out with drugs that have thymomimetic activity (cytovir-3, thymogen) and are a means of replacement immunocorrection with a cytokine drug (genetically engineered recombinant yeast IL-2 [roncoleukin]). The established effectiveness of the immunotherapy, in particular the reduction in the incidence rate of various nosological forms of immune-related pathology among the site employees who received immunotherapy and the presence of an immunocorrective effect in the immunoactive drugs used for therapy, indicate the advisability of carrying out preventive medical measures in persons professionally exposed to xenobiotic influences as a component of improving medical provision.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous group of mental and nervous system disorders. Patients with ASD are characterized by communication and cognitive impairments and obsessive behavior. The pathogenesis and etiology of ASD are still unclear. According to the literature, patients suffering from ASD have not only mental, but also somatic disorders, including changes in the immune system. The aim of this work was to study the concentration of cytokines in the blood plasma of children with ASD and the level of expression of proinflammatory genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The clinical group included 71 children aged 4-12 years with a diagnosis of ASD (F84.02). Patients scored more than 36 on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). The control sample included 27 apparently healthy children of the same age. The following methods were used in this study: isolation of mononuclear cells from heparinized peripheral blood, Ficoll-Verografin density gradient centrifugation, evaluation of cytokine blocks using commercially available enzyme immunoassay kits, isolation of random total RNA, reverse transcription using hexaprimers, and real-time polymerase chain reaction using intercalating dye SYBR Green. The concentration of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-17A in the peripheral blood plasma of children with ASD was statistically significantly increased compared to the control sample. Moreover, the concentration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in patients with ASD was 3.6 times lower compared to the control sample (p < 0.001). The level of expression of the NF-κB1, IL1β, IL8 and TNFα genes at the RNA level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was increased by 2.8, 2.5, 4.8 and 4.2 times in patients with ASD compared to the control sample (all p < 0.01). The results obtained indicate an increase in the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-8, IL-17A) in the blood plasma and a decrease in the concentration of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) in patients with ASD compared to the control sequence.

Autism spectrum disorders are associated with an imbalance of immune and neurological disorders, starting after the age of two. The study is devoted to studying the role of specialized strains of bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri, which mediate the synthesis of oxytocin in humans and influence inflammation indicators. Bacteria of this strain were part of the biologically active additive “Panbiolact Mental”, developed and presented by NPO ArtLife (Tomsk). The purpose of the work was to assess the effect of specialized strains of bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri on changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota, oxytocin levels, and immune parameters of children with ASD. The study included 43 children with autism spectrum disorders who took Panbiolact Mental for 90 days. The study materials included venous blood samples and fecal samples. The concentrations of cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, TNF, IFN), immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG, IgA, IgM) and the neuropeptide oxytocin were determined in the blood serum. Fecal samples were used to assess the qualitative and quantitative composition of the colon microbiota. Clinical symptoms of the disease associated with quality of life were assessed using the standard ATEC test scale (Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist), expressed in scores corresponding to the severity of clinical and neurological parameters of the disease. In children with autism spectrum disorders, after 90 days of regular use of Panbiolact Mental, the number of bacteria of the genera Acinetobacter decreased, the number of Bacteroides species pluralis, Akkermansia muciniphila, Eubacterium rectale, Prevotella species pluralis and Methanobrevibacter smithii increased. Increases in the concentration of oxytocin, the protolerogenic coefficient IL-10/TNFα, immunoglobulins M and G, and a decrease in the concentrations of TNFα and IL-10 were recorded. The results of the study support the hypothesis of a significant role of gut microbiota diversity in the neuro-immune pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders. “Panbiolact Mental” is presented as a potentially effective remedy for an integrated approach to the correction of ASD in children. These data may form the basis for further research in the field of probiotic therapy, as well as for the development of new strategies based on modulation of the intestinal microbiota.

The article is devoted to the study of angiogenic and antiangiogenic vascular growth factors in placental dysfunction, which is of great importance in obstetrics and perinatology. The study of growth factors as predictors of the development of placental dysfunction makes it possible to determine in advance the development of many obstetric pathologies, including preeclampsia and fetal growth retardation, which is of great practical importance. The authors conducted an immunological study of pregnant women with placental dysfunction and pregnant women with a physiological pregnancy. Purpose of the study: to study serum growth factors in women with placental dysfunction.

We examined 47 pregnant women with a gestation period of 26-40 weeks, with a diagnosis of placental dysfunction, who were under observation in the obstetric department of the city maternity complex No. 3 of the city of Tashkent. The control group consisted of 35 women with a physiological pregnancy. All women underwent an immunological blood test: cellular and humoral immunity, as well as cytokines (VEGF-A, PlGF, sFlt-1, sFlt-1/PlGF) were studied. Based on the results obtained, the authors suggest that an increased level of soluble sFlt-1 and a simultaneous decrease in the levels of VEGF-A and PlGF in pregnant women at 26-40 weeks of gestation may portend the development of pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction, and increase the risk of premature birth. Ddelivery due to impaired placental blood flow and oxygen deficiency for the fetus, lead to deterioration of microcirculation, and insufficient levels of VEGF-A and PlGF can contribute to vascular endothelial dysfunction, which can also contribute to the development of preeclampsia. The studied angiogenic and antiangiogenic vascular growth factors are important indicators and can serve as markers for predicting pregnancy complications for active medical intervention in maintaining the health of both mother and child.

Studies were conducted to study the levels of pro- (IL-6, IL-18, IL-17A) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4) cytokines in the blood serum of pregnant women at different stages of gestation: 18-20, 28-30, and 33- 38 weeks. The study involved 76 patients at risk of developing preeclampsia. Of these, 34 women developed preeclampsia, making up the main group, and 42 pregnant women had no symptoms of preeclampsia and made up the comparison group. The control group consisted of 28 somatically healthy women with a physiologically normal pregnancy. The average age of the examined patients with preeclampsia was 26.2±4.3 years, and in the group of pregnant women with normal pregnancy it was 25.8±4.7 years. The purpose of the study was to study the levels of cytokines IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-18 in women with uncomplicated pregnancy and preeclampsia. These cytokines play an important role in the immune response and may be associated with the development of preeclampsia. The results of the study may help further understand the mechanisms of the disease and develop strategies for its prevention and management.

The levels of pro- (IL-6, IL-18, IL-17A) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10) were studied in blood serum by ELISA using test systems of Vector-best JSC (Novosibirsk, Russia) in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Statistical processing of research results was carried out using variation statistics methods. The results are presented as the sample mean (M) and standard error (m). The significance of the differences in the mean values (P) of the compared indicators was assessed using the Student t test (t). A study conducted by the authors found the following patterns in interleukin (IL) levels in pregnant women at risk of developing preeclampsia (PE). The levels of IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-18 were significantly increased in pregnant women with PE. There was a tendency to decrease the levels of IL-4, and IL-10 in women at risk of developing preeclampsia. These findings may help guide further research and development of strategies to prevent and manage preeclampsia in pregnant women.

In the structure of gynecological diseases, uterine fibroids occupy an “honorable” second place after inflammatory processes of the genital organs, and its share reaches 40%. Uterine fibroids are a benign monoclonal tumor that develops from one abnormal smooth muscle cell of the myometrium, which, as a result of mutation, has the ability to grow unregulated. Common symptoms of the disease include pelvic discomfort or pain, excessive uterine bleeding, secondary anemia, infertility, and bowel and bladder dysfunction. Uterine fibroids can negatively affect the general condition of a woman, causing hormonal, vegetative-vascular and psycho-emotional disorders. Moreover, about 80% of patients with uterine fibroids undergo radical surgical treatment. The mechanisms of development and growth of this benign tumor have not been fully established and remain controversial. The role of immune disorders in the pathogenesis of fibroids is currently being discussed. It has been proven that the growth of fibroids is accompanied by a weakening of immune defense against the background of an increase in the level of proinflammatory cytokines, which are regulators of the processes of proliferation and apoptosis, mediators of the action of sex steroids. The aim of the study was to study the level of some pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, TGF-β2 and MCP-1) in the blood serum of women of reproductive age with uterine fibroids, depending on the size and nature of tumor growth. A comparative analysis of the results of examination of 123 women with uterine fibroids, who made up 2 groups: 1st group of 65 women with simple uterine fibroids and 2nd group of 58 women with rapidly growing uterine fibroids, is presented. The examination included a comprehensive clinical and laboratory study. The level of cytokines (IL-1β, IL- 2, TGF-β2, MCP-1) in the blood serum was assessed by ELISA. It was found that in patients of reproductive age with uterine fibroids, there is an increase in the levels of IL-1β, TGF-β2 and MCP-1. In women with rapidly growing uterine fibroids, these changes are more pronounced. The concentration of IL-2 is reduced in all women with uterine fibroids, regardless of the size and nature of tumor growth. It has been established that an increase in the size of myomatous nodes is accompanied by an increase in immune imbalance: there is an increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TGF-β2, MCP-1) against the background of a reduced content of the lymphokine IL-2, which we regard as possible links in the pathogenesis of uterine fibroids. A pronounced deficiency of IL-2 in the blood serum against the background of a sharp increase in the concentration of TGF-β2 and MCP-1 in the blood of women with uterine fibroids can be considered as a negative criterion for predicting disease progression and used as an additional prognostic marker of tumor growth

Antibodies to bacterial and viral antigens are detected in some systematic autoimmune diseases in the absence of infection. Autoimmune MRL mice and patients with mixed connective tissue disease produce antibodies to gp120 HIV-1, despite the fact that they had never been exposed to HIV-1. Conversely, viral infections may be accompanied by pathological autoimmune reactions. Reactivity to viral antigens in autoimmune diseases and autoimmune reactions in viral diseases are caused by the induction of antibodies via idiotype-anti-idiotype interactions between autoclones and lymphocyte clones against foreign antigens or homology of foreign antigens and autoantigens. Cardiovascular diseases caused by atherosclerosis are currently one of the main causes of mortality in HIV infected patients. It is assumed that HIV infection accelerates atherogenesis. The mechanisms of the association between HIV infection and atherosclerosis are not completely clear. Chronic activation of the immune system, disturbance of cytokine regulation caused by HIV infection, induction of autoantibodies against oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and antibodies to ApoB-D are considered as possible factors of atherogenesis in HIV infection. The aim of this research was to determine whether an atherogenic immune response against native human high-density lipoproteins (nHDL) could induce antibodies to gp120 HIV-1. Studies were conducted on model of autoimmune atherosclerosis caused by immunization with native human HDL in rabbits. Rabbits (n = 6) were one-time intradermally immunized with human nHDL at a dose of 200 μg of protein per animal in incomplete Freund’s adjuvant. Antibodies to gp120 HIV-1 were measured before immunization of rabbits and on the 28^th and 42^th day after immunization with HDL, and antibodies to HDL were weekly measured within 42 days after immunization. Histological analysis of the aorta was conducted after eight months after immunization. Transient anti-gp120 HIV-1 antibody production was detected in rabbits immunized with native HDL. The appearance of antibodies to gp120 HIV-1 in response to immunization with native HDL which causes atherosclerosis suggests that the immune response to gp120 HIV-1 during HIV infection may be accompanied by the production of atherogenic antibodies to HDL. Consequently, the antibodies to native lipoproteins caused by an immune response against gp120 HIV-1 may be a factor in atherogenesis during HIV-1 infection.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of death in developed countries. Experimental data confirm the role of monocytes in the development of CAD. Three main subpopulations of circulating blood monocytes are known: classical CD14⁺⁺CD16^- (~80%), intermediate CD14⁺CD16⁺ (~5%) and non-classical CD14⁺CD16⁺⁺(~15%). It is believed that each of the subpopulations of monocytes performs different functions. There are studies that demonstrate that classical monocytes respond more to the bacterial presence, whereas non-classical ones respond to the viral one. However, the functions of monocyte subpopulations have not been fully studied. Previously, we demonstrated that circulating monocytes of the blood of patients with atherosclerosis had increased proinflammatory activity. We decided to find out how the ratio of monocyte subpopulations in the blood is related to the inflammatory response of cells in atherosclerosis. The aim of our work was to investigate the relationship of the inflammatory response of primary monocytes with the distribution of monocyte subpopulations relative to the total pool of monocytes in healthy and sick CAD. The study included 20 men aged 46 to 70 years, 10 of them without CAD and 10 patients with CAD. A coronary angiography was performed, according to the results of which the patients were divided into patients with coronary atherosclerosis with detected stenosis in 2 or more arteries (CAD) and healthy ones without stenosis in the arteries. Next, blood was taken to study circulating monocytes. Monocyte subpopulations were detected by flow cytometry from the leukocyte fraction using antibodies against CD14- FITC and CD16-PB450-A. Immediately after isolation, monocytes were stimulated with LPS with a final concentration of 1 ug/mL, and a supernatant was selected 24 hours later for further enzyme immunoassay. The inflammatory response was assessed by the secretion of cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and CCL2 using ELISA. The monocytes of CAD patients had an altered inflammatory response in response to LPS stimulation compared to patients without CAD. This was manifested in increased secretion of IL-1β and TNF, and decreased secretion of CCL2 and IL-6. An increase in the number of intermediate and non-classical monocytes in patients with CAD was associated with changes in the inflammatory response of cells to the secretion of cytokines IL-1β and CCL2. It can be assumed that pathological changes in the representation of monocyte subpopulations in the bloodstream may be one of the causes of chronic inflammation in the walls of the arteries, contributing to the progression of atherosclerotic lesions.

Pan-allergens are molecules, mainly proteins of various families, responsible for cross–reactivity to a wide range of related and unrelated allergens. The clinical significance of having sensitization to some pan-allergens, for example, nsLTP, parvalbumins, storage proteins grows from the fact that severe, generalized reactions can develop, for example, nsLTP syndrome. Sensitization to pan-allergens depends on many factors, such as geographical location, age, food preferences, socioeconomic characteristics of the patient. The aim of the study is to identify the pattern of the sensitization to various molecules of pan-allergens in patients with allergic diseases living in the central part of Russia.

We analyzed the sera of a total of 556 patients with allergic diseases in a multiplex enzyme immunoassay. Six profilin molecules, 2 polcalcin molecules, 12 – nsLTP, and 7 parvalbumin molecules were used.

The frequency of IgE-ab to profilins in patients in central Russia is low (5-7%). At the same time, almost all patients with IgE-ab to profilins have IgE-ab to Bet v 1 (PR-10) and concomitantly to other profilins. In this regard, Bet v 1 can be considered as a primary sensitizer. The peculiarity of sensitization to polcalcins and LTPs was the low frequency of detection of IgE-ab to them (from 0.2% to 3%). At the same time, neither the nsLTP molecules of a peach, nor even apples, which are often consumed in central Russia, provoke the development of nsLTP syndrome. The detection rate of IgE-ab to parvalbumin in the sera of all patients with allergic reactions is also relatively not high and is 7-10%. Whereas the frequency of detection of IgE-ab to parvalbumins in the sera of patients with fish allergy is very high and reaches 63-90%. As a rule, IgE-ab are detected to all molecules, i.e., for parvalbumins of all studied fish species.

The sensitization profile to profilins, polcalcins, nsLTP and parvalbumins in patients living in central Russia has its own unique characteristics. One of the primary sensitizers in patients with sensitization to pollen of wind-pollinated trees is Bet v 1 (PR-10 homologue), IgE-ab to which was detected in 42% of patients. The detection rate of IgE-ab for various molecules of pan-allergens in general was low as follows: profilins – 5-7%, polcalcins – 0.5%, nsLTP – 0.2-3%, and parvalbumins – 7-10%.

In order to identify clinical and immunological predictors of the progression of allergopathology in military personnel participating in special operations under conditions of professional stress, 43 military personnel participating in special operations divided into two groups were examined. Group 1 consisted of officers with allergopathology or who first debuted symptoms of allergic diseases during or within 6 months after participating in special operations (n = 13, average age 36.4±4.5 years). Group 2 included officers participating in special operations who did not have symptoms of allergic diseases (n = 13, average age 36.4±4.5 years). The analysis of complaints and medical documentation were carried out. Clinical and laboratory examination was performed without exacerbation of somatic pathology. The immune status was assessed by the expression of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD16⁺, CD19⁺, HLA-DR⁺, intracellular FoxP3 content in CD4⁺CD25⁺T cells, granzyme B in CD3^-CD16⁺ and CD3⁺CD8⁺ lymphocytes using appropriate monoclonal antibodies (Beckman Coulter) and taking into account the results on the cytofluorometer “FC 500”. Immunological monitoring was performed before participation in hostilities and 6 months after return. A comparative assessment of the cellular and humoral state of military personnel of both comparison groups before leaving for an area with an unfavorable operational situation revealed the following differences. In the group of military personnel with allergic manifestations, significantly fewer CD4⁺ lymphocytes were noted, as well as significantly fewer CD3⁺CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3 regulatory lymphocytes and an increase in the number of circulating B lymphocytes were recorded. When dynamically monitoring the parameters of the cellular and humoral immune response in military personnel participating in hostilities, 6 months after returning from a business trip to areas with an unfavorable operational situation, unidirectional changes in the immune status were recorded in the form of a violation of the differentiation processes of the T cell link of the immune system. In the group of servicemen suffering from allergic diseases, the revealed changes were accompanied by a weakening of the processes of physiological immunosuppression in the form of a persistent decrease in the content of regulatory T lymphocytes in the dynamics of observation for 6 months.

The presence of neutrophils in a tumor often correlates with an unfavorable prognosis, however, there is still no clear answer about the role of tumor-associated neutrophils and the relationship of their morphofunctional features with the prognosis of the course of the disease. The aim of the study was to evaluate the structural features of tissue neutrophil nuclei in the pathological zone in patients with precancerous changes and malignant neoplasms in the larynx. Eight people with precancerous changes in the larynx, 18 patients with localized cancer of the larynx (stages II and III of the tumor process and the absence of metastases – T_{2- 3}N₀M₀), and 12 patients with advanced cancer (stage III of tumor diseases and regional metastases – T₃N_{1- 2}M₀) were examined. Blood slides and smear prints of tissue biopsies from three localizations were examined: 1 – zones of the pathological focus; 2 – boundaries between the pathological focus and conditionally healthy tissue; and 3 – conditionally healthy tissue. In the blood of patients with precancerous changes in the larynx and cancer patients, the main part of neutrophils was represented by cells with a 4-segment nucleus, and the number of hypersegmented forms (5 or more segments) was higher than in the blood of healthy volunteers (p < 0.002). The same type of changes in smear prints of biopsies from different areas of the pathological focus in patients with precancerous and malignant neoplasms were revealed: as they approached the pathological focus, an increase the cells with 4-5 or more segments was observed. The content of hypersegmented forms was maximum in the pathological focus. Only in patients with a widespread tumor process, neutrophils with a 4-segment nucleus dominated the immediate environment of the tumor. As the tumor spreads and metastases form, the proportion of hypersegmented cells increases in the population of intra-tumor neutrophils. It is very likely that the morphological features of tissue neutrophils in different zones of the pathological focus reflect their functional heterogeneity, and hypersegmetation of nuclei can be considered as a potential predictor of the development and progression of the tumor process.

Aim: To evaluate the cytokine profile of blood serum in children with erosive gastritis depending on the activity of the inflammatory process, bacterial invasion of H. pylori and family predisposition to peptic ulcer disease. Gastroscopy was performed with the collection of biopsy material from the gastric mucosa in 168 children aged 7-17 years with gastroenterological complaints. Subsequently, a morphological examination of biopsy specimens confirmed the diagnosis of gastritis in all examined patients and determined H. pylori invasion. The content of cytokines in the blood serum (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, IL-1β, IFNα, TNFα) was determined using the enzyme immunoassay method. When analyzing cytokine levels in schoolchildren infected with H. pylori, there were no differences in cytokine concentrations (p > 0.05). While in uninfected children in the presence of erosive changes, a decrease in IL-2 content was noted (p = 0.026). In individuals with a family history of peptic ulcer disease with erosive gastritis, an increase in the content of IL-8 was observed (p = 0.006), which is known to play an important role in maintaining innate immunity. Whereas, in the absence of a family predisposition, schoolchildren with erosive gastritis showed a decrease in IL-2 (p = 0.027), which is similar to the level of IL-2 in schoolchildren with erosive gastritis without H. pylori infection. IL-2 is considered an activator of the antitumor response and this property is being actively studied in patients with gastric cancer. In the context of these data, it can be assumed that in individuals with erosive gastritis, even without a family predisposition and H. pylori infection, inhibition of IL-2 synthesis is observed. What causes this influence is an open question. Thus, the variety of components of the cytokine profile involved in the regulation of the inflammatory process and the influencing negative factors create difficulties in assessing and, even more so, predicting the role and significance of changes in the content of a particular cytokine in the blood serum in children with erosive gastritis.

In modern clinical practice of pediatricians, the problem of timely adequate treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis (CGN) in children is of particular relevance, due to both the high prevalence of the disease and the severity of its course, the complexity of therapy and the ambiguity of the prognosis. Lesions of the urinary system in children are not only common, but also tend to grow, and often at an early age. Deterioration of the environmental background, toxic and allergic effects of drugs lead to damage primarily to the kidneys, which are the eliminating organ. The aim of the study was to study urocytokines to assess the immune response in children with HCG, depending on the association with cytomegalovirus infection. The study included 100 children aged 4-7 years, permanently residing in the Bukhara region of the Republic of Uzbekistan. At the time of the study, the patients were undergoing routine treatment in the Department of Pediatric Nephrology of the Bukhara Regional Children’s Multidisciplinary Medical Center. All children underwent general clinical (general blood test with leukoformula, general urine analysis, biochemical blood test with determination of urea, creatinine and cystatin C, immunological (TNFα, IL-18, MCP-1, IgM and IgG antibodies to cytomegalovirus infection (CMVI) in blood serum, IL-1β and IL-17A in urine) examination methods. Thus, it was found that the concentration of cystatin C in the blood serum was inversely proportional to the glomerular filtration rate in the kidneys – with a decrease in kidney function in sick children, a twofold increase was noted, that is, the accumulation of cystatin C in the blood. An increase in the concentration of IL-18 in serum and IL-1β in urine relative to the control group in CGN was an indicator of the severity of an autoimmune reaction, and a relatively low concentration of cytokines in both blood and urine in CGN with CMVI indicated suppression of the specific antiviral immunity of CMVI. It was found that an increase in serum MCP-1 by 1.4 times in group 1 and 2.9 times in group 2 of CGN with CMVI is an indicator of viral kidney damage. A significantly high concentration of IL-17A in urine in CGN with CMVI indicated local cytokine production in the kidneys and acted as an indicator of the prognosis of the outcome of CGN.

Patients with multiple pathologies are a high-risk group, which requires a personalized approach to surgical rehabilitation in dentistry. Inadequate diagnosis of clinical manifestations when a patient is in remission often leads to severe surgical complications. However, modern methods of dental implantation and rehabilitation are possible even in patients with oncology, those who underwent surgical therapy, chemo- or radiotherapy. Gilbert syndrome, one of the risk factors for post-surgery inflammatory complications, is associated with defects in bilirubin metabolism. It inhibits platelet activity. It is a genetic disease leading to a loss of liver enzyme activity and the accumulation of indirect bilirubin that can aggravate the course of other diseases in patients. In acute stages, it is characterized by jaundice of the skin, eyes, and mucosa and is followed by immunosuppression and the post-surgical complications associated with it. A patient with Gilbert syndrome was administered for surgical treatment of a chronic infection and follow-up rehabilitation via dental implantation and reconstruction of the bone. In this case, we faced Gilbert syndrome in association with polycythemia (a myeloproliferative disease in the compensation stage). In such cases, dental implantation cannot be achieved in the complex dental rehabilitation process. Such diseases require special attention from dental surgeons due to possible complications (bleeding, thrombosis, or disseminated intravascular coagulation). In this specific case, the patient belongs to the risk group, and its history, although in remission, is still a contraindication for dental surgery and dental implantation.

The results of use of approaches and means of antitoxic immunotherapy in medical practice are summarized: passive transfer of various variants of antibodies specific to toxic compounds, vaccination – specific active immunization with vaccines carrying determinants of the immunochemical specificity of target toxic compounds. The practical effectiveness of the known approaches of passive transfer and vaccination is associated with the ability of specific antibodies, by binding target bioactive compounds with pronounced toxicity, to change the availability of corresponding structures in the body-targets and, in the presence of a sufficient number of specific antibodies with high binding ability to the target compounds, neutralize their toxicity. In medical practice, polyspecific heterologous antisera or the gamma globulin fraction of antisera (extremely rare monoclonal antibodies of narrow specificity) are widely used for passive transfer as antidotes in the treatment of victims in order to prevent deaths and extensive necrosis of soft tissues at the site of the bite of poisonous snakes and insects. Active immunization – vaccination with appropriate antigenic drugs should create in immunized individuals a state of humoral immunity with the corresponding characteristics of antibody formation specific to the target compound. When a target toxic compound enters an immunized organism, it is also possible to neutralize its toxicity. The most successful experience in using the principles of active immunization as a technology for specific antitoxic therapy is associated with the practice of using toxoids for toxinemic infections. Specific practical techniques used to achieve the effectiveness of possible approaches to specific antitoxic immunotherapy in the form of passive transfer of specific antibodies or their fragments are considered: to combat lethal infections in the pathogenesis of which the toxic effects of bacterial exotoxins are significant; when treating victims of snake and insect bites, exposure to poisons of marine organisms, algae and plant toxins; in the treatment of severe intoxication with certain low molecular weight toxic substances: digoxin, colchicine, tricyclic antidepressants. The most successful experiences of using the principles of active immunization as a technology for specific antitoxic therapy, based on the use of toxoids with specificity for diphtheria, tetanus, botulism, cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, gas gangrene and other toxinemic infections, are also considered. The fairly high immunogenicity of toxoids with the possibility of activating both constitutional and adaptive immunity has become the basis for their use as macromolecular carriers of hapten analogues of narcotic substances – a promising direction in drug addiction, in the implementation of which a number of experimental molecular and combined vaccines of opiates, methamphetamine, cocaine, and nicotine. This variant of practical efforts in medicine can be regarded as a new direction of specific antitoxic immunotherapy – an option to combat drug addiction by vaccinating drug addicts.

One of the reasons for the development of chronic forms of lung diseases and pneumofibrosis as a pathological outcome of this inflammation may be an insufficient immune response. The key position belongs to neutrophilic granulocytes. Given the importance and renewed interest in neutrophils as tools for regulating immunity, leading to the progression of the fibrous process in children with CKD is an urgent problem. The purpose of the study was to study the phagocytic activity of blood neutrophils as an important component of innate immunity in patients with CNLD. Seventy children with CNLD with focal or segmental post-inflammatory pulmonary fibrosis were examined. Of these, 27 were children with progression of PPF (main group) and 43 children with PPF without progression (comparison group). The controls were the indicators of 23 healthy children, comparable by gender and age. The studies were carried out during clinical remission. The phagocytic activity of neutrophils (PНAN), phagocytic number (PN), spontaneous and stimulated NBT test were determined. The stimulation index of the NBT test (NBTst-NBTsp) was calculated. The mitochondrial membrane potential was determined using a BD FACS Calibur cytometer (USA) (BD Pharmigen, USA).

PN in children with chronic heart disease with progressive PF was significantly reduced in comparison with patients in the comparison group and with the control group. The PHAN in children with CKD in both groups was within the standard values, however, it was lower than in the control group. The activity of the spontaneous HBT test in children of the main group was 1.7 times higher than in children in the comparison group and 3 times higher than in children from the control group. However, the stimulation index in the main group was significantly lower than in the control group. An increase in cells with a reduced membrane potential of granulocyte mitochondria was revealed in children of the main group compared with the control group. Children with CKD with the progression of fibrosis processes develop changes in the functional and metabolic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils typical for an inflammatory reaction, characterized by an increase in oxygen-dependent and a decrease in phagocytic cell activity.

The publication is devoted to topical issues of experimental study of new biocompounds, based on the creation of a consortium of biological composite compounds – biological active substances (metabiotics) produced by strains 59T and 60T of saprophytic compounds of the genus Bacillus subtilis. These strains are very promising for the creation of hepatopicts, new medicinal substances, in the creation and development of a new pharmacological class of hepatoprotectors. Previous studies have shown the safety and hepatoprotective effect of biologically active drugs. It is worth noting that the very effective compounds are the produced biologically active substances – metabolites of bacterial origin, on the basis of which it seems appropriate to create a new class of drugs – metabiotics. The absence of vegetative probiotic cells in such compounds will reduce the additional immune load on the body. The combined use of these compounds provides a potentiated pharmacological effect. In this regard, it seemed appropriate, under the conditions of modeling toxic liver damage by carbon tetrachloride, to conduct an experimental assessment of the immunotropic effect of biologically active substances (BAS) on laboratory animals in order to confirm the effect on cellular factors of immunity. The purpose of the study was to study the effect of the combined use of dietary supplements produced by Bacillus subtilis microorganisms on indicators of cellular immunity in laboratory animals with toxic liver damage. Acute toxic hepatitis was reproduced in white laboratory rats with repeated intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride. The comparison drug was a registered hepatoprotective drug – ursosan. The immunotropic effect was assessed using factors such as: phagocytic activity of macrophages and neutrophils (FA), NBT test, quantitative assessment of antibody-forming cells, T and B lymphocytes. As a result of the studies performed, reliable data were obtained on an increase in the number of T and B lymphocytes, antibody-forming cells, as well as an increase in FA, which confirms the activation of all parts of cellular immunity in conditions of acute toxic liver damage. The data obtained allow us to recommend the studied biocompound for the creation of new drug candidates of microbiological origin, hepatoprotective agents with immunotropic effects.

Despite significant advances in clinical medicine, infectious diseases and their prevention remain the leading problem of our time. Low literacy of the population reggarding immunization, combined with high activity of the anti-vaccination movement, creates unhealthy skepticism about immunoprophylaxis and the risks of epidemics.

The work uses theoretical analysis of literature, methods of anonymous questionnaires of students of medical and non-medical specialties, methods of statistical and bioinformatics data processing, and modern internet technologies: the platform of the social network “Vkontakte” and the program for creating a chatbot “Senler”.

The analysis of commitment to vaccination of medical and non-medical students showed that 65.8% to 96.2% of respondents have a positive attitude to preventive health measures. From 1.9% to 6% believe the disease is easier to treat than to prevent, and almost 30% of respondents do not think about prevention and diseases in general, considering themselves young. Almost 10% of non-medical students (1 group) consider vaccination useless, 8.4% dangerous for immunity, 18.3% know nothing about vaccinations and cannot compare the benefits of vaccination with the risk of infectious pathology. In order to form medical literacy of the population, including in strategic issues of preserving the health of the nation, the team of authors developed and implemented through the social network “Vkontakte” chatbot “Vaccine and point” containing up-to-date information about vaccines, methods multiplicity and age features of their use. People [n = 156] used the chatbot during the month of work, noting its high informational value, motivating to vaccination.

Analysis of commitment to vaccination of students of medical and non-medical specialties showed an insufficient level of trust in domestic preventive medicine, which forms an unhealthy attitude to vaccine prevention. Insufficient vaccine coverage creates real threats to the spread of infectious diseases at the population level. Developed and implemented in real practice, the “Vaccine and point” chatbot is an effective tool for increasing the knowledge of compatriots about the real possibilities of protection against the main vaccine-controlled infections and an additional attempt to overcome anti-vaccination skepticism.

Medical personnel and family members of patients with acute respiratory diseases (ARD) are at increased risk of infection during epidemics or pandemics. In this regard, it is necessary to develop and implement accessible preventive measures. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of IFNα-2b for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections in persons located at the source of infection (medical personnel and members of their families).

Patients (n = 31) with acute respiratory infections and 117 people from their environment (family members in constant contact with patients) were examined. The subjects underwent a clinical examination and laboratory tests a clinical blood test and a study of the content of the main populations and subpopulations of lymphocytes in the blood. Persons in contact with ARD patients were divided into three groups: persons who received the drug “Grippferon” for 7 days; persons who received the drug “Grippferon” in a prophylactic dose for 7 days; persons in contact with patients with ARD but who have not received the drug “Grippferon”.

When assessing the state of the immune system, it was found that the most common type of immune reaction in patients and their people around was activation of innate immunity (48.39% and 66.67%, respectively). At the same time, immunodeficiency in the group of patients with ARD was detected much more often than in persons in contact with them. In addition, patients were more likely to have monocytosis (1.4 times), T lymphocytopenia (2.1 times) and an increase in the number of regulatory T lymphocytes (7.6 times). More than 50% of those examined in both groups showed an increase in the number of NK cells in the blood. An examination of persons in contact with patients with ARD after 7 days of using the “Grippferon” in different doses revealed that the lowest frequency of acute respiratory viral infections symptoms was found in the group receiving IFN at a therapeutic dose. In the group receiving IFN in a prophylactic dose, the frequency of acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI) symptoms was detected in almost 40% of those examined. More than 80% of people from the group who did not receive the “Grippferon” had symptoms of ARVI after a week of contact with patients with ARD.

Thus, the use of IFN in therapeutic doses during the epidemic for persons in contact with patients is proposed as a new concept for the prevention of ARD.

Autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) are chronic pathological conditions that arise from an abnormal immune response and are accompanied by systemic inflammation. The most common ARDs include rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The exact pathogenesis of ARDs remains unclear, but the complex influence of genetic, immunological and external environmental factors leads to the occurrence and further progression of ARDs. It has been shown that the cause of chronic inflammation may be proinflammatory activation of macrophages, in which an increase in the secretion of cytokines is observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inflammatory response of macrophages in patients with RA, SLE and SSc. Materials and methods. The study included 143 participants: 47 patients with RA, 45 patients with SLE, 34 patients with SSc, and 17 people without ARDs and other chronic diseases. Isolation of a primary culture of monocytes was carried out by centrifugation in a ficoll gradient using magnetic separation from the whole blood of study participants. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was added to stimulate cells along the proinflammatory pathway. Cell cultivation was carried out for 24 hours. Determination of basal and LPS-stimulated secretion of IL-8 by macrophages was carried out in the culture fluid using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Proinflammatory activation of macrophages was calculated as the ratio of LPS-stimulated and basal IL-8 secretion. Research results. Basal secretion of IL-8 by macrophages was statistically significantly higher in the groups of patients with RA and SSc compared with the SLE and control groups. LPS-stimulated secretion of IL-8 by macrophages in the SSc group had statistically higher values compared to the RA and SLE groups. Proinflammatory activation of macrophages was reduced in the group of patients with RA compared to patients with SLE and the control group, and was also statistically significantly lower in patients with SSc compared to the control group.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a feed additive from fucus algae on resistance indicators of laying hens in industrial poultry farming conditions. In the algae F. vesiculosus and A. Nodosum, it was revealed that the mass fraction of fucoidan in terms of a.d.w. is 3.92±0.12%.When assessing the effect of using a feed additive from fucus algae on resistance indicators of laying hens, it was revealed that it has an effect on white and red blood parameters, leukogram and phagocyte activity. In chickens of the experimental group, there was a tendency towards an increase in the number of erythrocytes, an increase in the color index, a tendency towards a decrease in the number of leukocytes relative to the increase in the control group, while the indicators were within the reference values, after 30 days of using the additive – in the experimental group the proportion of pseudoeosinovils increased by 50% and the proportion of lymphocytes decreased by 6% compared to the control group. After 60 days of using the supplement, this trend continues: the proportion of pseudoeosinophils increased by 22% and the proportion of lymphocytes decreased by 4% in the experimental group relative to the control group. In our opinion, this indicates a normalization of the ratio of leukocyte forms in the experimental group, and, consequently, the immune status. In addition, in the experimental group relative to the control group, there was a significant decrease in the number of eosinophils by 67%, which may indicate a lower allergic reaction of the body’s immune system. Indicators of blood phagocytosis significantly changed after 60 days of use: in the experimental group, phagocytic activity increased by 23%, which indicates a higher ability of leukocytes in the experimental group to absorb foreign bacteria, and, consequently, stronger cellular immunity compared to the control group. Thus, the use of a feed additive from fucus algae for laying hens containing fucoidan in an amount of 3.92±0.12% helps to normalize the ratio of leukocyte forms and increase blood phagocytosis rates, which significantly increases resistance in laying hens.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment, blindness and disability in the elderly. Treatment of end-stage AMD is extremely limited and requires invasive interventions. Currently, there is an active search for remedies aimed at preventing the degenerative process in the retina in the early stages of the disease. AMD is a multifactorial pathology, has common mechanisms with diseases associated with aging, metabolic shifts and hemodynamic disorders. The study of the effects of drugs already used to correct these disorders in the general clinic may also be of interest to ophthalmologists. The aim of the work was to study the dynamics of inflammatory markers of activation of the vascular endothelium and cytokines of the immune response in the tear fluid (TF) of patients with initial and intermediate stages of AMD against the background of the use of Tricor fenofibrate. 65 people were examined, divided into three groups according to the AREDS classification: group I – 20 people with early AMD (AREDS2), group II – 16 patients with intermediate AMD (AREDS3), 29 healthy elderly people without ophthalmopathology entered the age control group (AREDS1 – risk group). Patients of groups I and II received Tricor at a dose of 145 mg once a day for 9 months. Tear fluid (TF) was taken twice: before and immediately after the completion of the course of treatment. The determination of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, sE-, sP-selectin and MCP-1/CCL2 in CS was performed by flow cytometry using a self-constructed multiplex panel from compatible simplex test kits Human FlowCytomix^TM Simplex (Bender MedSystem GmbH, Germany); IL-1β, IL-2 IL-6 TNFα was determined within the framework of the Human Flow Cytomix^TM 15 Flex system (Bender MedSystem GmbH, Germany). Data processing was performed in the FlowCytomix Pro v 6.0 package (Bender Med Systems GmbH, Germany). According to the results of the study, a significant effect of Tricor fenofibrate was found on the initially high levels of local production of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, MCP-1/CCL2 and sICAM-1 in the AREDS2 group, which indicated a direct anti-inflammatory, vasoprotective effect in the treatment of the initial stage of AMD; a similar effect of the drug, but less pronounced, noted in the AREDS3 group. The ophthalmological examination data also indicated stabilization of visual functions and the clinical picture of the fundus, improvement of intraocular blood circulation in patients of the main groups. Thus, the use of Tricor can help prevent the degenerative process in the retina in the early stages of AMD development.

Bronchial asthma in children is a multifactorial disease, but it is based on atopic inflammation, which is the focus of the main methods of research and therapy of this pathology. However, if we evaluate not only the fact of the appearance of bronchial asthma in a particular patient, but also consider its course in more detail, and especially the possibility of achieving control over the disease, then indicators of not only atopic inflammation, but also local inflammation in general, acquire great influence, which is one of the reasons for the continuing high percentage of uncontrolled and partially controlled course bronchial asthma in children.

The purpose of this work is to identify changes in cytokine status indicators and immunograms – markers of the risk of uncontrolled bronchial asthma.

167 patients with bronchial asthma were examined, who, based on a standard clinical and instrumental examination, according to the criteria of clinical recommendations, were divided into two groups – controlled (70 people) and partially controlled and uncontrolled (97 children). All of them had their cytokines and IgA, IgM, IgG, IgE levels determined, in blood serum by ELISA, subpopulations of lymphocytes by flow cytometry, indicators of neutrophilic phagocytosis by light microscopy.

In the group with uncontrolled asthma, the following significant differences were noted: a decrease in the level of IL-7, IL-9 and an increase in IL-8, there is also a higher level of B lymphocytes, IgE and IgM, and a lower level of IgA, similar changes, but less pronounced, were previously detected in other studies when comparing patients with bronchial asthma and conditionally healthy, as well as mild and severe course diseases. There were no significant differences in the other studied indicators.

It is noteworthy that the greater influence on the control of the disease in bronchial asthma is not exerted by atopic cytokines responsible for the very fact of atopic inflammation, but by cytokines of general inflammation, such as IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, regulating the severity of inflammation in general, the role of IL-8 as a cytokine of granulocyte chemotaxis regulating local inflammation is especially interesting.