The role of cathepsin S in the development of inflammation in patients with severe bronchial asthma

Goal: To determine the relationship of cathepsin S level with clinical and functional indicators in patients with severe bronchial asthma. Materials and methods: 109 patients with severe bronchial asthma of women were examined - 84 (77.1%), men - 35 (22.9%), which were divided into 2 groups: 84 people with allergic severe bronchial asthma and 25 with non-allergic severe bronchial asthma. Study of external respiration function was done with whole-body plethysmography ("Erich Eger”, Germany). The concentration of cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, periostine, cathepsin S, TGF-β in blood plasma was determined with ELISA (eBioscience, USA). Results: Patients with severe bronchial asthma are characterized by an uncontrolled course of the disease. In both allergic and non-allergic severe bronchial asthma, fixed obstruction is recorded in 64% and 68% of cases, respectively. Peripheral blood eosinophilia occurs in 28.5% of cases with allergic and in 16% of cases with non-allergic severe bronchial asthma. In both groups there is an increase in the plasma content of IL-4, IL-13, periostin, TGF-β and cathepsin S. Cathepsin S is in positive correlation with clinical symptoms of the disease and concentration of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 in allergic severe bronchial asthma. A positive correlation was established between the level of cathepsin S and TGF-β in both groups. Conclusion: The revealed positive correlation between cathepsin S and TGF-β levels may indirectly indicate cathepsin S involvement in airway remodeling processes.