Immunotherapy with bacterial ribosomal antigens in bronchial asthma. II. Immunological study.

A newly developed mode of vaccination with bacterial ribosomal antigens was evaluated in 83 patients with bacterial bronchial asthma. The response of the immune system to two years of immunotherapy was studied by serial determinations, every six months, of the following parameters: E; Ea and EAC rosettes; B-cell surface immunoglobulins; PHA-induced blast transformation, and IgG, IgA, IGM, IgD and IgE immunoglobulins. At basal conditions, patients showed a slight depression in the function of cell-mediated immunity, an increase in Ea rosette formation and decreased values of IgA. After vaccination with ribosomal antigens, an enhanced T-cell response to PHA was observed, followed by normal values of Ea rosettes and increased values of IgA. A statistically significant correlation (p less than 0.001) was evident between Ea rosettes and IgA. Nearly half of the bacterial asthmatic patients in our series presented elevated levels of IgE (greater than 125 U/ml) that remained unchanged even after specific treatment. The immunomodulating action of bacterial ribosomal therapy is discussed.