INFLUENCE OF RESPIRATORY TUBERCULOSIS CHEMOTHERAPY ON THE ABILITY OF NEUTROPHILS TO FORM EXTRACELLULAR TRAPS

Introduction. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are essential in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis infection, but the influence of antituberculosis chemotherapy on their formation remains unexplored. Aim. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of respiratory tuberculosis chemotherapy on the ability of neutrophils to form extracellular traps. Materials and Methods. The ability of neutrophils to form extracellular traps after being exposed to a nonspecific antigenic stimulant was studied. The study included 51 healthy children (Control Group) and 21 children with respiratory tuberculosis (TB Group). In the “TB (point 1)” subgroup, all studies were performed at the first-time TB diagnosis, while in the “TB (point 2)” subgroup, they were conducted 6 months after the start of tuberculosis chemotherapy. Results and Discussion. In the children of the “TB (point 1)” subgroup, the percentage of early NETosis cells and the proportion of cloud-shaped and filamentous neutrophil extracellular traps were significantly higher statistically as compared to the “Control” group (p=0.0112, p=0.0041 and p=0.0093, respectively). Six months after the start of antituberculosis chemotherapy, the ability of neutrophils to form extracellular traps changed: In the “TB (point 2)” subgroup, the proportion of early NETosis cells decreased, only one child had cloud-shaped neutrophil extracellular traps – the other children did not form cloud-shaped neutrophil extracellular traps, while the percentage of filamentous neutrophil extracellular traps was not significantly different between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusions. Thus, after tuberculosis chemotherapy, there is a preferential decrease in the percentage of cloud-shaped neutrophil extracellular traps and early NETosis cells.