Imbalance of markers of cellular immunity as one of the factors of apoptosis in patients with secondary osteoarthritis depending on the stage of the volume of articular cartilage degeneration

Background. At the current stage of the development of the problem of the pathogenesis of secondary osteoarthritis (OA), the study of the factors that initiate apoptosis of the cellular structures of the articular cartilage and synovial membrane, one of which is the imbalance of markers of cellular immunity, which trigger the activation of cell death. Purpose – is to study changes in markers of cellular immunity as one of the factors of apoptosis in patients with secondary OA depending on the stage of the amount of articular cartilage degeneration. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted in 117 patients aged 19 to 45 years who were undergoing inpatient treatment at Artz Klinic (Kharkov) for secondary OA. The diagnosis of OA was established according to the IKX-X. All patients according to the classification of the International Society for the Study of OA (OARSI) were divided into 4 groups depending on the stage of damage to the articular cartilage volume (%) of degenerative changes: stage 1 (< 10%); stage 2 (10–25%); stage 3 (25–50%); stage 4 (> 50%). To achieve the goal, a subpopulation of lymphocytes in peripheral blood was determined (CD3 +; CD4 +; CD8 +; CD16+ (NK); CD22 +), as well as CD95, FASL (CD178), Annexin V protein (Vac-α); apoptosis enzymes: caspases – 1; 8; 3 – according to the accepted methods. Results. The obtained data confirmed the presence of an imbalance of markers of cellular immunity and the activation of CD16 (NK) and their cytotoxicity, which increases depending on the degree of degeneration of articular cartilage. There was an increase in indicators of CD95, FASL (CD178) and apoptosis enzymes: caspases – 1; 8; 3 depending on the degree of degeneration of the articular cartilage. Conclusions. In patients with secondary OA, there is an imbalance of markers of cellular immunity: a decrease in CD3+, an increase in CD4 +; SD16; (NK); suppression of CD8 +, shift of immunoregulatory index CD4 /CD8 to the right. Increase of SFASL ligand (CD178), СD95 Annexin V protein and caspase – 1; 8; 3, which characterizes apoptosis of cellular and tissue structures of articular cartilage, increasing the autoimmune component of the disease.