The role of transcription factor PAX-5 (BSAP) in asthma severity and in the activity of allergic inflammation

PAX-5 is transcription factor of B-cell, which is crucial in asthma pathogenesis. The aim is to evaluate PAX-5 role in allergic (AA) and non-allergic asthma (NAA). Materials and methods. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 107 asthma patients and 22 healthy were examined. Part of lymphocytes was analyzed after 24h incubation with and without IL-4 10 ng/ml. To estimate PAX-5 and CHe (constant parts of IgE heavy chains) mRNA semi-quantitive RT-PCR was performed. Results: PAX-5 mRNA levels were significantly increased in patients with NAA in comparison with healthy (p=0,018) and AA patients (p=0,03) (U-crit.). We revealed important positive correlations of PAX-5 with CHe which were stronger in patients with normal and low serum IgE (≤150 MU/ml) than in patients with high serum IgE levels (>150 MU/ml) (r=0,543; p Significant decrease of mRNA PAX-5 was registered in lymphocytes from AA patients after 24h IL-4 action (p=0,046; n=13, W-crit.). This decrease was not significant in healthy (p=0,345; n=5, W-crit.). Conclusion: We revealed the association of PAX-5 and NAA development. It may be explained by fact of PAX-5 prolonging B-cell life and its functioning as antigen-presenting cell. In patients with AA PAX-5 may be considered as protective factor. IL-4 may influence PAX-5 expression through the pathways which are involved in asthma pathogenesis (e.g. STAT6 signaling). The work was supported by Saint-Petersburg government grant (No. 4/04-05/1-A).