Effect of bacille calmette-guerin polysaccharide nucleic acid (BCG-PSN) on the expression of T cell-derived cytokines in patients with atopic dermatitis / 中华皮肤科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To assess the changes in frequency of peripheral T lymphocytes expressing different cytokines in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) before and after treatment with BCG-PSN and their relationship with disease severity. Methods A randomized, double blinded and placebo cross-over control study was conducted. A total of 8 patients with AD were recruited in this study. Intramuscular BCG-PSN or placebo was given to patients every other day for 36 days. Flow cytometry was performed to measure the frequency of IL4-, IL5-, IFN-γ- and TNFα-expressing peripheral CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells before and after the therapy. Disease severity was evaluated by atopic dermatitis area and severity index score (ADASIS). Results The difference value in IFN-γ+CD8+ T cell frequency before and after therapy was significantly higher in patients treated with BCG-PSN than in those with placebo (8.056 ± 13.962 vs -6.549 ± 10.491, U = 2.26, P< 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the frequency of IL4-, IL5-, TNFa-expressing CD8+ T cells between BCG-PSN- and placebo-treated patients (all P > 0.05). The decrease in ADASIS was 1.56 ± 1.49 in patients treated with BCG-PSN, which was statistically higher than that in placebo-treated patients (-0.05 ± 1.54, U = 2.00, P< 0.05). Conclusion As an immunomodulator, BCG-PSN may control AD by restoring the balance of T-cell subsets.