title: Human alveolar macrophages: comparison of cell size, autofluorescence, and HLA-DR antigen expression in smokers and nonsmokers.
abstract: To investigate the influence of cigarette smoking on alveolar macrophages (AM) we compared morphologic and immunocytochemic characteristics of bronchoalveolar lavage cells collected from 10 smokers and 8 nonsmokers. AM were studied using single cell fluorescence photometry. AM of smokers were larger in size (p < 0.001), showed stronger autofluorescence (p < 0.001), and expressed fewer HLA-DR antigens (p < 0.001) compared with AM of nonsmokers. AM of smokers were more heterogeneous in respect to cell size, autofluorescence, and HLA-DR antigen expression. HLA-DR antigen density on AM of smokers was independent of cell size and autofluorescence. This suggests that tobacco smoke reduces HLA-DR antigen expression in AM of different maturational states and that this defective expression of HLA class II antigens is not dependent on the amount of phagocytosed autofluorescent tobacco particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pankow
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rüschoff
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: von Wichert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D048429:Cell Size; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens