Evaluation of the Role of FMLF chemotaxic peptide receptors in umbilical cord blood granulocytes from newborns at risk of infectious inflammatory diseases

We studied the role of receptors with high and low affinity for fMLF chemotaxic peptide in the generation of active oxygen species by umbilical cord blood granulocytes from newborns with normal neonatal period, born after normal or complicated gestation, in children with manifestations of bacterial infection born after complicated pregnancy, and in granulocytes of non-pregnant women with normal reproductive function. Granulocytes of children born after complicated pregnancy exhibited high reactivity in induction of respiratory burst in a wide range of fMLF concentrations. The presentation of receptors with high and low affinity on granulocytes during initiation of the respiratory burst differs in children born after complicated pregnancy and in healthy babies born after normal gestation. Presumably, the detected differences result from high expression of receptors with low affinity for fMLF and disorders or immaturity of mechanisms responsible for receptor inactivation.

Generation of reactive oxygen species by umbilical blood cells and immune status of newborns at risk of infectious inflammatory diseases

We carried out a comparative clinical and immunological examination of newborns whose mothers were at risk of infectious inflammatory diseases. Umbilical blood cell phenotype was evaluated by flow cytofluorometry. ROS level was evaluated by chemiluminescence intensity. Spontaneous production of ROS and phagocytic activity of cells in the whole umbilical blood was reduced in newborns born after complicated pregnancy. Low immunoregulatory index indicating changed CD4+/CD8+ ratio and low percentage of natural killer cells were observed in children with manifestations of bacterial infection. ROS production by isolated granulocytes and the effects of PI3K and p38 MAPK (kinases involved in the regulation of activity of NADPH oxidase responsible for the production of ROS) in the risk group infants differed from the corresponding parameters in the control group. The results indicate shifts in the phagocytosis system, immune status, and the receptor-conjugated regulatory systems of ROS generation by granulocytes in newborns at risk of infectious inflammatory diseases.

Regulation of reactive oxygen species production by peripheral blood neutrophils from women with postpartum endometritis

Production of reactive oxygen species in unfractionated peripheral blood increased in parturient women without postpartum infectious complications and patients with postpartum endometritis. The control group included nonpregnant women with normal reproductive function. Intergroup differences were revealed in the degree of respiratory burst activation with opsonized zymosan and response of isolated granulocytes to chemotactic peptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phen (1 muM). Production of reactive oxygen species tended to normal after therapy. We studied the effects of a specific mitogen-activated protein kinase p38MAPK inhibitor and inhibitors of tyrosine protein phosphatases and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. The role of p38MAPK in reactive oxygen species generation by cells changes significantly in parturient women.

Changes in Regulation of Oxidase Activity of Peripheral Blood Granulocytes in Women with Habitual Abortions

Generation of active oxygen forms by blood granulocytes was studied in women with a history of habitual abortions (2-3 spontaneous abortions in the first trimester, undeveloped pregnancies). The level of spontaneous luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of nonfractionated peripheral blood was increased in this patient population (study group) in comparison with women with normal reproductive function (reference group). The two groups differed by the level of activation of respiratory burst induced by opsonized zymosan and by activity of isolated granulocytes in response to chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (1-50 microM). Differences in the effects of inhibitor of tyrosine protein kinases and protein phosphatases and inhibitor of mitogen-activated proteinkinase p38 MAPK were detected. The results attest to predisposition to oxidative stress and poor cytotoxic functions of granulocytes in women with habitual abortions, which can be due to specific features of regulation of oxidase activity by tyrosine protein kinases and protein phosphatases and by p38 MAPK.

[Correction with T-activin of secondary immunodeficiency in inflammatory diseases of female internal genital organs]

A clinicoimmunological examination was performed in 70 patients with acute inflammatory disease of internal genitalia. All the patients received a multimodality anti-inflammatory therapy. They were divided into 2 groups: 1) 30 patients taking ++T-activin as an adjuvant and 2) 40 patients untreated with it. T and B lymphocytes were measured by current cytofluorometry+ by means of monoclonal antibodies and the rosette-forming method. A subpopulation analysis of the T-cell immune system revealed lower T-helper count and decreased immunoregulatory index. ++T-activin used in the multimodality therapy for acute inflammatory diseases of internal genitalia improved the qualitative parameters of regulatory T-cell subpopulations, returned T and B lymphocytes to normal levels and elevated IgG concentrations.

[Immunological studies of peripheral blood in patients with external genital endometriosis and infertility]

Immunoregulatory lymphocytes of SD2-, SD4-, SD8- and SD2-phenotypes have been assayed using monoclonal antibodies in peripheral blood of infertile women with external genital endometriosis and tubal-peritoneal infertility. The tested cells did not markedly differ from those in control fertile patients. Serum concentrations of immunoglobulin M were increased in women with endometriosis. Immunoglobulin concentrations widely varied in the peritoneal fluid, with a statistically significant elevation of IgA and IgM in women with tubal-peritoneal infertility.