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№2' 2014

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

International Medical Journal, Vol. 20., Iss. 2, 2014, P. 100−103.

ANDROGENIC ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES AS MARKERS OF INFECTION PROCESS IN THALASSEMIA

Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, The Republic of Azerbaijan

The number of thalassemia carriers amounts to 80−90 million in the world. This disease is common in Azerbaijan and is diagnosed in 7−8% of the population of the lowlands. Considering that the data on the level of secretion of endogenous antimicrobial peptides at thalassemia are not numerous we compared the amount of defensin (HNP), protein increasing membrane permeability (BPI), endotoxin as well as association between biochemical indices, the amount of iron and level of secretion of antimicrobial peptides. The findings of biochemical and immunological investigation of the venous blood in children and adolescents with different forms of thalassemia were analyzed. It is concluded that 1) homozygote form of beta−thalassemia against a background of reduced phagocyte activity of leucocytes and functional state of the liver is characterized by increase secretion of defensin before splenectomy in 5 times, after it in 15 times; 2) the patients with frequent transfusions demonstrate accumulation of iron with increase in blood plasma endotoxin concentration against this background; 3) frequent infectious complications result in increase in BPI secretion; 4) increased level of endogenous peptides is a marker of infection process development and reflects the dynamics of changes of the biochemical parameters and immune status of the organism.

Key words: defensin, BPI, endotoxin, β−thalassemia, antimicrobial peptides.