[Argyrophilic proteins of nucleolar organizer regions of macrophages and lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with diffuse lung diseases].
Alveolar macrophages and T-lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with diffuse lung diseases have been shown to be activated. The object of this study was to investigate whether the numbers of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes were abnormally high in these patients or not. Alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage from 7 control subjects, 36 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, 10 patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 6 patients with measles pneumonia, 6 patients with mycoplasma pneumonia, and 6 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis related to interstitial pneumonitis. These cells were cytocentrifuged and stained by one-step silver staining. Argyrophilic proteins of the nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs) were counted in 300 alveolar macrophages and lymphocytes. The numbers found in control subjects were compared to those found in patients with diffuse lung diseases. In the patients with sarcoidosis, these numbers were also compared among subgroups divided according to staging, involvement of other organs, administration of steroids, and differences in deposition of 67Ga. We also examined correlations between Ag--NORs and known markers of activation in sarcoidosis. The numbers of Ag-NORs were significantly greater in patients with diffuse lung diseases than in control subjects. There were no significant differences in the numbers of Ag-NORs among subgroups of patients with sarcoidosis. No correlations were seen between the Ag-NORs and the markers of activation of disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nomura
M
M
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yasui
M
M
Fujimura
M
M
Nakamura
S
S
Matsuda
T
T
D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000378:metabolism*; D016622:Silver Staining
D009687:Nuclear Proteins