Comparative analysis of cytokines in acute respiratory infections and allergic
bronchial asthma

Ospelnikova T.P., Morozova O.V.

I.I. Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Moscow, Russia
National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology of N.F. Gamaleya, Moscow, Russia
FMBA Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine, Moscow, Russia

During acute respiratory viral infections the activation of gene expression of T-helрers of types 1, 2 and 17 with subsequent induction of specifi c cellular and humoral immune response provide elimination of etiological agents. In case of viral persistence in human cells Th 1 cytokines at the early stages of infection in the absence of interferon stimulated gene expression are replaced to Th2 cytokines at the late stages. In patients with bronchial asthma respiratory viral infections activate Th1 cytokine gene expression similar to ARVI. However, the expression of IFN genes of type I and III signifi cantly diff ers. Th us, IFNα RNA is absent in nasopharyngeal swabs of healthy persons and patients with ARVI but it can be found in sputum samples of patients with BA. IFNλ RNA is detected in clinical samples of healthy people and patients with ARVI with high rate and gene expression levels but its expression is inhibited in patients with asthma.