title: Bacterial lysate increases the percentage of natural killer T cells in peripheral blood and alleviates asthma in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of conventional treatment combined with bacterial lysate [OM-85 Broncho-Vaxom (BV)] in the prevention of asthma in children as well as its influence on the number of natural killer T (NKT) cells and their cytokine production.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty children diagnosed with asthma were divided into either a BV-treated group (with oral OM-85 BV) or a conventional inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) group. The numbers of NKT cells and CD4+ NKT cells were measured in the peripheral blood by flow cytometry. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 after the blood cells had been cultured with an NKT cell agonist were detected by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After therapy, asthma attacks were significantly decreased compared with before therapy in both groups. However, after therapy, respiratory tract infections were reduced compared with before therapy in the BV-treated group only. Additionally, the frequency of asthma attacks and use of antibiotics in the BV-treated group were lower than in the ICS group. With BV treatment, the numbers of peripheral blood NKT cells and CD4+ NKT cells were higher after therapy than before therapy. After therapy, the ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 and IL-10 levels were increased in the BV-treated group, whereas IL-4 was reduced in the BV-treated group compared with the ICS group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BV combined with conventional asthma treatment can prevent recurrent respiratory tract infections and suppress the severity of asthma attacks, possibly by altering the rates and cytokines of NKT cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yanming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yaqin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Lanfang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002457:Cell Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D000095983:Bacterial Lysates
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D002457:Cell Extracts; D005699:Galactosylceramides; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; C030259:Broncho-Vaxom; D000095983:Bacterial Lysates; C508609:IL10 protein, human; C508598:IL4 protein, human; C493154:alpha-galactosylceramide