Increase of Bcl-2/Bax ratio corelated with decrease of lymphocyte apoptosis: a study in the bronchiolus and lung of asthmatic mice

The failure of lymphocyte apoptosis is one of the factors causing chronic airway inflammation in asthma. Some studies indicate the role of Bcl-2 in inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis, but still little research is on the role of Bax and its relationship to Bcl-2 in asthma. The purpose of this study was to prove the role of Bcl-2-lymphocyte in inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis and decrease in Bax-lymphocytes in bronchiolus and lung of asthmatic mice. This study was a randomized control group design. Subjects were Balb/c mice which divided into 2 groups: non-asthma and asthma. Asthma group were sensitized with ovalbumin intraperitoneally on day 0 and 14, followed by inhalation every 2 to 3 days for 6 weeks. At week 8, all subjects terminated. Bcl-2 and Bax-lymphocytes expression were examined with immunohistochemical method, whereas apoptotic lymphocytes by Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Statistical analysis used was the independent sample t-test and regression analysis, with 95% confidence interval. Bronchial and lung specimens were obtained from 18 subjects (9 from each group). The ratio of apoptotic lymphocytes decreased in the asthma group (p = 0.003), Bcl-2-lymphocytes increased in the asthma group (p