title: [Lymphocyte apoptosis in atopic dermatitis treated with transfer factor].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory dysfunction in whose physiopathology the lymphocytes T play an important role in the regulation of the inflammatory process.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine and to characterize the role of apoptosis of lymphocytes in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis before and after treatment with transfer factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in a range of age from 5 to 45 were included in the study. Fifteen healthy subjects were taken as a control group. In all subjects it was determined the apoptosis of the lymphocytes by means of annexin and TUNEL techniques, as well as the expression of CD95 cells. The 15 patients with atopic dermatitis received treatment with transfer factor in stepped dose as follows: 1 U/day/5 doses, 1 U/week/3 doses, 1 U/15 days/2 doses, 1 U/30 days, until completing three months. At the end of this period new determinations were done to measure apoptosis of lymphocytes and PMN. At the beginning and at the end assessments of the severity in relation to the scale SCORAD were made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By means of both techniques no significant difference was found in the percentage of apoptotic lymphocytes between patients and control subjects. Differences of the expression of CD95 between patients and control subjects before and after treatment were not significant. There was a significant difference (p < 0.01) of severity from the beginning to the end of treatment with transfer factor in patients with atopic dermatitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No significant differences of apoptosis of lymphocytes were found in patients with atopic dermatitis who received treatment and control subjects, neither before not after the treatment with transfer factor. It was verified the decrease in the severity of the symptoms related to the treatment with transfer factor.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Alergia e Inmunologia Clinica, Hospital Regional Lic. Adolfo López Mateos, ISSSTE, Av. Universidad 1321, col. Florida, CP 01030, México, DF.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García Angeles
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flores Sandoval
authors.forename: Modesto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orea Solano
authors.forename: Ernestina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estrada Parra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017304:Annexin A5 / Q000032:analysis; D017209:Apoptosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D014165:Transfer Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D017304:Annexin A5; D014165:Transfer Factor; D019014:fas Receptor