[Bacteriostatical possibilities of electromagnetic fields]. / Mozliwosci bakteriostatyczne pól elektromagnetycznych.

The elaboration of new methods for controlling bacterial infections becomes increasingly important, especially in view of constraints of standard antibiotic therapy confronted with the expansion of resistant and biofilm-producing strains. The implementation of electromagnetic field as an agent impairing the growth of pathogenic bacteria may present one of the potential solutions. This paper describes the meaning of electromagnetic field as the factor naturally influencing bacterial physiology and communication processes, also reviewing its previous and future potential therapeutic utilization.

Immunotropic influence of 900 MHz microwave GSM signal on human blood immune cells activated in vitro.

In an earlier study we reported that G(o) phase peripheral blood mononulclear cells (PBMC) exposed to low-level (SAR = 0.18 W/kg) pulse-modulated 1300 MHz microwaves and subsequently cultured, demonstrate changed immune activity (Dabrowski et al., 2003). We investigated whether cultured immune cells induced into the active phases of cell cycle (G(1), S) and then exposed to microwaves will also be sensitive to electromagnetic field. An anechoic chamber of our design containing a microplate with cultured cells and an antenna emitting microwaves (900 MHz simulated GSM signal, 27 V/m, SAR 0.024 W/kg) was placed inside the ASSAB incubator. The microcultures of PBMC exposed to microwaves demonstrated significantly higher response to mitogens and higher immunogenic activity of monocytes (LM index) than control cultures. LM index, described in detail elsewhere (Dabrowski et al., 2001), represents the monokine influence on lymphocyte mitogenic response. The results suggest that immune activity of responding lymphocytes and monocytes can be additionally intensified by 900 MHz microwaves.

[Immunoregulatory disorders in chronic sinusitis in patients with atopy]. / Zaburzenia immunoregulacyjne w przewleklym zapaleniu zatok przynosowych u chorych z atopia.

UNLABELLED: Disorders of immunoregulatory activity of T lymphocytes and excessive immunogenic activity of antigen presenting cells are recognised as an important pathogenic elements in allergic diseases. Successful prevention of development of these pathomechanisms determines the effectiveness of administered therapy. The aim of presented investigations was to assess the kind and the degree of immune disorders in the group of 40 patients with chronic allergic sinusitis (CAS). The range of evaluated parameters comprised the indices of immune competence of T cells in microcultures of mononuclear cells isolated from the blood (response to mitogens PHA and Con A, saturation of IL-2 receptors, T-cell suppressive activity--SAT index), indices of immunogenic activity of monocytes (LM index correlated with the ratio of concentrations of IL-1 beta/IL-1ra, concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-1ra, IL-4 and IL-6 in the culture supernatants). The results were compared with the similar estimations performed in the group of 20 healthy blood donors. RESULTS: The obtained results demonstrated significant deficiency of T cell immune competence in the group of patients suffering from CAS (hyperreactivity of non-matured T cells to Con A, decreased saturation of IL-2 receptors, deficient T-cell suppressive activity and quantitative deficiency of TCD8 cells). In contrast to that, the immunogenic activity of monocytes was significantly elevated in the group of CAS patients as compared to the control group (significantly higher values of LM index, considerable increased concentrations of IL-1b, IL-4 and IL-6). CONCLUSIONS: The observed immunoregulatory deficiency of T-cell population and increased immunogenic activity of antigen presenting cells (monocytes) in CAS patients seem to suggest that the routine antiinflammatory treatment in these patients should be supplemented with the immunocorrective therapy aimed to restore the deficient thymus-dependent immune competence.

[The role of immunoregulatory disorders in pathogenesis of bronchial asthma]. / Rola zaburzen immunoregulacyjnych w patogenezie astmy oskrzelowej.

The set of cellular and humoral elements which participate in the pathogenetic chain of bronchial asthma is regarded as characteristic for this disease. They include, among many others: mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, macrophages, Th2 phenotype lymphocytes, IgE antibodies, histamine, leukotrienes and some pro-inflammatory cytokines. The majority of them are effectory agents active at the end of pathogenic immune response. The therapy antagonizing their influences alleviates the symptoms but does not eliminate the cause of the illness. The authors call the attention to the pathogenic significance of immunoregulatory disorders which appear during the induction phase of immune response in patients with symptoms of bronchial asthma. On the basis of current literature and own, already published studies, the authors point to the significance of recently discovered and described thymus-dependent cellular population of regulatory T lymphocytes which are active in prevention of development of allergic and autoaggressive reactions. It is suggested that deficiency of regulatory T cell population caused by undesired environmental influence on thymic lymphopoiesis and the concomitant overstimulation of immunogenic antigen-presenting dendritic cells, create the conditions under which pathogenic immune response may well develop. Therefore, the possibility of introducing of prothymic immunocorrective treatment in bronchial asthma should be taken into account in further clinical studies.

Cellular and cytokine immunoregulation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma.

BACKGROUND: Different forms of chronic airway inflammation may involve diverse pathogenic elements. In general, deficient defence response is a feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas distorted immunoregulatory mechanisms lead to development of asthmatic symptoms. In addition to diverse effector mechanisms, the cellular and humoral elements participating in the development of immune response may appear to be different in COPD and bronchial asthma (BA) patients. AIMS: To evaluate the immunoregulatory properties of T cells and monocytes in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and to determine the chosen cytokine profiles in COPD and BA patients. METHODS: The microcultures of PBMC from COPD and BA patients were assessed for the T-cell response to mitogens, saturation of interleukin (IL)-2 receptors, T-cell suppressive activity and monokine influence on lymphocyte proliferation. Concomitantly, the cytokine (IL-1beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8) concentrations were determined in the serum, the broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and in the culture supernatants. RESULTS: The T-lymphocyte reactions (response to phytohaemagglutinin, IL-2 receptor saturation, suppressive activity) were lower in BA patients than in COPD patients. Reversely, the immunogenic activity of monocytes (IL-1beta versus IL-1ra production) was higher in BA patients than in COPD patients. The highest values of cytokine concentrations were found in the culture supernatants. The concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher and the concentration of IL-1ra was lower in BA patients than in COPD patients. CONCLUSION: The assessments of cellular immunoregulatory properties and cytokine profiles in the cultures of blood mononuclear cells may prove helpful for diagnostic and therapeutic discrimination between BA and COPD patients.

[Immunologic conditions for efficient vaccination]. / Immunologiczne uwarunkowania skutecznosci szczepien ochronnych.

The quality of the vaccine and the way of immune response determine the result of vaccination, its safety and efficiency. The border between expected benefits and unexpected adverse side effects is determined by the degree of immunoregulatory competence of immune system. On the grounds of current views on the role of immunoregulatory disorders in development of allergic and auto aggressive diseases, the authors consider the conditions in which the vaccinations may contribute for appearance of erroneous immune responses.