title: Immunohistological analysis of lung tissue from patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis suggesting local expression of immune hypersensitivity.
abstract: Immunohistological analysis using monoclonal antibodies in conjunction with histochemical techniques has been applied to lung biopsy material from patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis. Subsets of lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells have been identified in situ. This analysis showed that the inflammatory cells present were predominantly mononuclear. Most of the lymphoid cells were B lymphocytes, organised into follicles with occasional germinal centre formation. IgM was the major class of immunoglobulin expressed. Both T4+ and T8+ lymphocytes were seen diffusely distributed in the interstitium. The T4+ positive cells were also seen within the B lymphoid follicles. Almost all non-lymphoid cells expressed the phenotype of inflammatory macrophages, but a few also expressed a phenotype characteristic of interdigitating cells. These results suggest that a local B lymphoid immune response is occurring in cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis. The possibility that a cell mediated immune response is also emerging is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007136:Immunoglobulins