Reactivity of bronchoalveolar space cells in lung asbestosis.
Preliminary studies to evaluate lymphocyte subsets bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and blood were carried out in a group of patients with lung asbestosis. The assessments were made by an indirect immunofluorescent method using monoclonal antibodies as a marker. The results were recorded on a flow cytofluorometer FASC-can. As compared with a control group, the patients with lung asbestosis showed a slight decrease in the total level of T lymphocytes (CD3) in BAL, however with a clearly disturbed proportion between T-helper (CD4) and T-suppressor (CD8) lymphocytes, which led to a decreased CD4/CD8 ratio. The blood level of T lymphocytes and their subsets in these patients approximated that in the controls. Heavy smoking was also found to enhance disorders in their number and proportion. The assessment of B lymphocytes (by using polyclonal antihuman immunoglobulins (sIg/FITC) showed a significantly high level of these lymphocytes in BAL with simultaneously low levels in blood in the same patients with lung asbestosis. We did not find a clear synergic effect of cigarette smoking on the levels of B lymphocytes in the studied group.
Czarnobilska
E
E
Chair of Pathophysiology, University School of Medicine, Kraków.
Kopiński
P
P
Pituch-Noworolska
A
A
Chłap
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000473:pathology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000473:pathology*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer