Effects of M. vaccae on eosinophil apoptosis and Bcl-2 protein expression in lung tissues of asthmatic guinea pigs

AIM: To study the effects of M. vaccae on eosinophil apoptosis and Bcl-2 protein expression in lung tissues of asthmatic guinea pigs. METHODS: 30 guinea pigs were divided into normal saline (NS) group, asthma group and M. vaccae treatment group at random, every group included 10 guinea pigs. Guinea pigs in M. vaccae treatment group were injected intramuscularly with 22.5 μg M. vaccae 10 days before OVA immunization. TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique was used to investigate the apoptosis of eosinophils and immunohistochemistry method was used to study the expression of Bcl-2 protein in lung tissues. RESULTS: The apoptosis index (AI) of eosinophils in lung tissues in M. vaccae treatment group was significant higher than that in asthma group ［(23.78±5.42)% vs (4.56±0.68)%, P<0.01］. The mean optical density value of Bcl-2 protein in lung tissues of M. vaccae treatment group was significant lower than that of asthma group ［(1 556.3±492.4) vs (2 321.9±751.2), P<0.05］. CONCLUSION: The apoptosis of eosinophils induced by M. vaccae in lung tissues of asthmatic guinea pigs may be due to the inhibition of Bcl-2 protein expression.