title: [Study of local immunity of lower genital tract infections].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the profile of local immunity of vagina and the immune defense mechanisms against lower genital tract infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Vaginal lavage was collected from healthy women and patients of vulvovaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonol vaginitis, human papilloma virus infection (VVC), and chlamydia trachomatis infection. Each group included 60 cases. The level of interleukin (IL)2, 4, 5, 13, 8 and human defensin 5 (HD5) were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Cytokine of helper T cell 1(Th1): the level of IL-2 between healthy women and VVC/ bacterial vaginosis (BV)/ trichomonol vaginitis (TV)/ chlamydia trachomatis (CT) patients had no significant difference. The IL-2 level(96 +/- 33) x 10(-3) pg/L of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection patients was significantly higher than that of healthy women (P < 0.05). (2) Cytokine of helper T cell 2 (Th2): the level of IL-4 between healthy women and VVC/CT patients had no significant difference. The level of IL-5 between healthy women and BV patients had no significant difference. The IL-13 level (42 +/- 15) x 10(-3) pg/L of TV patients was significantly higher than that of healthy women (30 +/- 29) x 10(-3) pg/L (P < 0.05). The IL-4 level (103 +/- 28) x 10(-3) pg/L of HPV infection patients was significantly higher than that of healthy women (36 +/- 22) x 10(-3) pg/L (P < 0.05). (3) IL-8: the IL-8 level (5.8 +/- 2.7) pg/L of TV infection patients was significantly higher than that of healthy women (2.6 +/- 2.4) pg/L (P < 0.05). The level of IL-8 between healthy women and BV patients had no significant difference. (4) HD5: the HD5 level of TV, BV, VVC, HPV and CT infection patients were significantly higher than that of healthy women (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) HD5 plays an important role in the defence of vaginal epithelial cell. (2) Th2 may be more important than Thl in lower genital tract infections. (3) IL-8 plays an important role in extrinsic source infections.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital, Beifing 100034, China.
authors: Dai
authors: D
authors: Zhang
authors: Zhao-hui
authors: ZH
authors: Liu
authors: Qin-ping
authors: QP
authors: Liao
authors: Jing-mei
authors: JM
authors: Ma
authors: Yu-feng
authors: YF
authors: Sun
authors: Shang-rong
authors: SR
authors: Fan
authors: Li-na
authors: LN
authors: Hu
authors: Hai-jun
authors: HJ
authors: Jia
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Di
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D002181:Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D023084:alpha-Defensins