title: Differential cellular analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained at various stages during the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rat.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze the cellular components of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid throughout the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rat. Animals were killed and lavaged at various times after the administration of a single intratracheal injection of bleomycin. The results demonstrate that a significant influx of inflammatory cells appear in the lavage fluid as early as Day 1 after bleomycin treatment. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are the first cells to appear and significant concentrations persist for as long as 1 month after bleomycin treatment. There is a very transient yet significant influx of eosinophils on Day 7 after bleomycin treatment. Lymphocytes are present from 3 to 14 days after bleomycin treatment; greater than 97% are T-cells and less than 3% are B-cells. There is a 1:1 ratio of W3/25+ cells (helper cell activity) to OX8+ cells (suppressor cell activity) comprising the lymphocyte population. The blood and lymphoid tissue of these animals contain a normal 2:1 ratio of these subsets. The data demonstrate that specific T-cell populations are present in the air spaces of the lung in response to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in this model.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001761:Bleomycin; D001980:Bronchi / Q000473:pathology*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology*; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000473:pathology; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin