Inhibitory effect of mometasone and nortriptyline on the concentration of blood mononuclear cells containing proinflammatory cytokines in patients with allergic rhinitis under conditions of stimulated immune response

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of mometasone, nortriptyline, and a combination of these agents on the proportion of Th (CD4+) lymphocyte isolated from the blood of patients with allergic rhinitis that contained the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A.

Methods. The study included six subjects with allergic rhinitis aged 18–19 years. Blood mononuclear cells were isolated by centrifugation and incubated in the presence of mometasone, nortriptyline, or a combination of these agents. Recombinant proteins were then addedto stimulate immune responses of types 1, 2, or 17. After 3 days of culture, the percentage of CD4+ cells containing IL-4, IL-17A, and IFN-γ was determined by flow cytometry.

Results. According to data obtained, mometasone effectively suppresses the intracellular expression of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A induced by immune responses of types 1, 2, and 17. Nortriptyline, acting on the same cells under stimulated type 1, type 2 or type 17 of immune responses, reduces the proportion of cells expressing IL-4 and IL-17A, and IFN-γ (the latter only under stimulated type 17 of immune response). The combination of mometasone and nortriptyline further suppresses the expression of IL-4 by CD4+ cells in all the studied immune responses, IL-17A – under activation types 2 and 17 of immune response, and IFN-γ – in type 1, compared to mometasone alone.

Conclusion. The results of the study demonstrate the ability of nortriptyline to enhance the effect of glucocorticosteroids in suppressing the immune response of CD4+ lymphocytes in patients with allergic rhinitis.

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