LOCAL IMMUNITY IN CHRONIC RECURRENT VULVOVAGINAL CANDIDIASIS
Academician V. I. Kulakov Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia, Moscow Objective. To study the profile of cytokine mRNA gene expression in the vaginal smears by the real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction technique. Subjects and methods. Seventy-six women of reproductive age were examined; of them 34 had verified chronic recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis (CRVC). The indicator cycle comparison method (AACq method) adjusted for 5 reference genes was used to quantify mRNA gene expression. Results. CRVC was shown to be accompanied by the increased mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-lβ, IL-6, IL-8, and IFN-γ) and IL-10 and the decreased mRNA gene expression of IL-18 and IL-12α/p35. Conclusion. The findings suggest that the cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-18, IL-12α/p35, IL-10, IFN-γ, and CD45 play a significant role in the development of an inflammatory process in CRVC.