Assessment of the membrane potential of mitochondria in immunocompetent blood cells of children with asthma, depending on controllability of the course of the disease

Aim. To study the functional state of immunocompetent blood cells by assessing the membrane potential of mitochondria (MPM) in bronchial asthma in children, depending on the controllability of the course of the disease.Materials and methods. 167 children suffering from asthma aged from 1 to 17 years were examined, two groups were formed: 1 - controlled course of asthma (n=70), 2 - partially controlled and uncontrolled course of asthma (n=97). The functional and energetic status of immunocompetent blood cells was assessed by flow cytometry with determination of MPM using JC-1 dye.Results. The proportion of cells with reduced MPM in children with asthma in comparison with conditionally healthy children is higher in all pools - lymphocytes (46.1% vs. 34.0%), monocytes (12.0% vs. 9.0%), gran­ulocytes (11.3% vs. 7.0%). A higher percentage of cells with reduced MPM was found in the pools of monocytes (15.4% vs. 8.8%) and granulocytes (13.8% vs. 6.7%) with uncontrolled asthma. “Method for a comprehensive assessment of the energy security of immunocompetent blood cells” has been developed and patented. According to this method, the degrees of energy deficiency are relevant to the control of the course of asthma: in group 1, there is no energy deficit in 12.9% of cases, the first degree of deficiency in 40%, the second in 20%, the third in 27.1%; in the second group - 11,3%, 15,5%, 42,2%, 31,0% accordingly.Conclusion. The use of the developed method for a comprehensive assessment of the energy security of immunocompetent blood cells as an additional method to the approved medical standards, technically performed in a short time and with high accuracy, makes it possible to conduct early preclinical diagnostics of energy-deficient con­ditions of immunocompetent blood cells in asthma; according to the degree of disturbances detected, it is reasonable to determine the choice, the amount of necessary therapy and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment.