CD8+ cell-dominant alveolitis in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
A 55-year-old woman had bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and retinouveitis. Microscopic examination of a biopsy specimen from a mediastinal lymph node revealed noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas. Since granulomatous diseases of infectious origin and sarcoid reaction were reasonably excluded, she was diagnosed as having pulmonary sarcoidosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage findings were atypical in that the ratio of helper T cells to suppressor T cells (CD4/8 ratio) was 0.5 in two separate examinations, despite a moderately increased proportion of lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical examination of the lymph node also showed a predominancy of suppressor T cells. The inversion of the CD4/8 ratio suggests the presence of heterogeneity in the immunoregulatory mechanism in pulmonary sarcoidosis and may have a prognostic significance.
Yamaguchi
E
E
First Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
Haneda
H
H
Okazaki
N
N
Abe
S
S
Kawakami
Y
Y
Nojima
T
T
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D016827:CD8 Antigens