Effects of Glucocorticoids on Humoral and Cellular Immunity and on Airway Inflammation in Patients with Steroid-Dependent Intractable Asthma

Abstract

The effects of glucocorticoids on the proportion of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid in relation to humoral and cellular immunity were studied in 56 patients with steroid-dependent intractable asthma. To analyze the mechanism responsible for reduced numbers of BAL lymphocytes, we divided the subjects into 4 groups according to their BAL lymphocyte proportions: 0-4.9%, 5.0-9.9%, 10.0-14.9%, and 15.0-20.0%. Serum IgG levels and the peripheral lymphocyte count were significantly reduced in patients with a low proportion of BAL lymphocytes (less than 9.9%) than in those with more than 10% BAL lymphocytes. Delayed cutaneous reactivity to purified protein derivative was suppressed in patients with a low proportion of BAL lymphocytes (less than 4.9%). The mean proportion of BAL neutrophils tended to increase as the proportion of BAL lymphocytes decreased. These results show that the reduction in BAL lymphocytes produced by glucocorticoids is associated with suppressed humoral and cellular immunity, and that under such conditions the proportion of BAL neutrophils increases.

Redox Control of Asthma: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities

“…For example, ROS production by asthmatics' neutrophils correlates with severity of reactivity of airways (37,269,299). Significant increase in neutrophils have been observed in the late-phase reaction after antigen challenge, in many cases of fatal asthma (189,238), nocturnal asthma (222), in long-standing asthma even during periods of remission (104), and in patients with steroid responsive intractable asthma (326).…”

Different Roles of Histamine and Leukotriene C4in the Airways Between Patients with Atopic and Nonatopic Asthma

“…Conversely, nonatopic patients are defined as subjects without IgE-mediated allergic reaction. However, despite of the presence or absence of IgE-mediated reaction, chemical mediators such as histamine and LTC,, which are released from tissue mast cells during the time of immediate asthmatic reaction (JAR), and from inflammatory cells during late asthmatic reaction (LAR), play an important role in the onset mechanisms of asthma attacks (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28). In recent years, many kinds of antiallergic drugs that inhibit actions of histamine and LTC, have been developed.…”

Mineral water inhalations for bronchial asthma: a meta-analysis

“…Thus, the remaining 14 articles for our analysis were written in Russian, Japanese, and English and were conducted in Russia, Japan, and Italy (Tables 3 and 4; See: Supplementary materials). [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][41][42][43][44][45] More information about the included studies is given in Tables 3 and 4 (See: Supplementary materials): the set of data included the following indicators: researcher's name, year of publication, description of key points of the study design (randomization, placebo), number of participants in each 32,46 group; description of the mineral water, quantity, application method, period of application; the values of the indicators of the respiratory function before and after the use of mineral water. As a measure of the effect, the standardized difference in mean values (Hedge's g) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a random effects model.…”