Department of Internal Medicine and Allergology
Wroclaw Medical University
ul. Traugutta 57, 50-417 Wroclaw
tel./fax +71 344 21 64

Polish version


Head

         
    Bernard Panaszek, MD, Assoc. Professor


Members of the Department

• Prof. Jerzy Liebhart, MD, PhD - V-ce Head of Department
• Prof. Maryla Krasnowska, MD, PhD
• Prof. Janusz Patkowski, MD, PhD
• Assoc. prof. Maria Kraus-Filarska, MD, PhD
• Assoc. prof. Marek Jutel, MD, PhD
• Assoc. prof. Wojciech Mędrala, MD, PhD
• Zbigniew Machaj, MD, PhD
• Ewa Liebhart, MD, PhD
• Ewa Bogacka, MD, PhD
• Marita Nittner-Marszalska, MD, PhD
• Anna Wolańczyk-Mędrala, MD, PhD
• Wojciech Barg, MD, PhD
• Krzysztof Wytrychowski
• Anna Dor, MD, PhD
• Andrzej Fal, MD, PhD
• Rafał Dobek, MD, PhD
• Andrzej Obojski, MD, PhD

Major research trends

      Major scientific interests comprise pathophysiology, diagnostics and therapy of asthma and other allergic diseases as well chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In addition the epidemiology of allergic diseases in the Polish population is investigated in collaboration with the European Union as the part of its general program. In a number of studies the mechanisms of allergic inflammation are investigated. Special efforts are focused on the role of cytokines. Investigations of cytokine release in atopic and intrinsic asthma complicated by fungi infection revealed the important role of TNF-a in asthma exacerbations. Mechanisms of the induction of allergen tolerance during specific immunotherapy are also the major scientific topic. One of the most important findings indicates that T cells are the target for specific immunotherapy, which induces a shift from dominating Th2 to Th1 type T cell activity. The effect of specific immunotherapy on the reactivity of the effector cells (mast cells and basophils) is also investigated. It has been demonstrated that venom immunotherapy results in decreased basophil reactivity while mast cells are only moderately affected. The immunoregulatory role of histamine and its receptors is also examined. It has been shown that histamine which is responsible for the development of many allergic symptoms is also capable to influence the T cell functions and suppress the allergic reactions at the regulatory level by a negative feed-back mechanism. In order to determine the mechanisms of inflammation in asthma and COPD the migration of the inflammatory cells is also investigated. It has been shown that bacteria from patients with asthma are able to induce lymphocyte chemotaxis in the same donors. In addition, bacterial lipopolysaccharides can induce leukotriene release from peripheral blood leukocytes from asthmatic subjects. The effectiveness of the CAST-ELISA test in the diagnosis of allergic diseases is also investigated. This test has been proven to be reliable in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis, allergy to insect venoms and drug allergy. Standard diagnostic procedures in asthma and COPD are constantly elaborated. The safety of the therapeutic use of corticosteroids is also investigated. It has been shown that topical corticosteroids do not affect serum osteocalcine.       In addition a number of multicenter clinical trials of antiasthmatic, antiallergenic and antibiotic drugs are constantly performed.

Publications

1. Żak-Nejmark T, Jankowska R, Małolepszy J, Kraus-Filarska M, Nadobna G, Nowak A. Modulation of adhesion and chemotaxis of human neutrophils by cortisol, transforming growth factor-beta and antiinflammatory drugs. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 1998, 8, 346-52
2. Kraus-Filarska M, Małolepszy J, Mędrala W, Dobek R. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide-induced sulfidoleukotriene release from peripheral blood leukocytes in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 1998, 8, 94-7
3. Mędrala W, Malolepszy J, Wolanczyk-Medrala A, Gietkiewicz K, Litwa M, Jutel M, Wrzyszcz M. CAST-ELISA test in diagnosis of mite allergy. J Invest Allergol Clin Immunol 1997, 7, 36-9
4. Jutel M, Pichler WJ, Skrbic D, Urwiler A, Dahinden C, Muller UR. Bee venom immunotherapy results in decrease of IL-4 and IL-5 and increase of IFN-gamma secretion in specific allergen-stimulated T-cell cultures. J Immunol 1995, 154, 4187-94
5. Małolepszy J., Böszömenyi Nagy, Selroos O., Larsson P., Brander R., Safety of formoterol Turbohaler at cumulative dose of 90 mg in patiens with acute bronchial obturation. Eur.Respir.J. 2001,18,928-934
6. Jutel M., Watanabe T., Klunker S., Akdis O.A., Thomet O.R., Małolepszy J., Żak-Nejmark, Roga R., Kobayashi T., Blaser K. Akdis C.A. - Histamine regulates T-cell and antibody responses by different expression of H1 and H2 receptors. Nature, 2001, 413 no-6854, 420-425

Last modification: 03.10.27
The person responsible for updating data on behalf of the department: Rafal Dobek, M.D. Ph.D., rdobek @ alergol.am.wroc.pl

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