title: Dendritic cells and their precursors isolated from human bronchoalveolar lavage: immunocytologic and functional properties.
abstract: Human bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has been described to contain, besides a large number of alveolar macrophages (AM) (approximately 95%), small numbers of monocyte-like cells (approximately 2%) and dendritic cells (DC) (approximately 0.4%). To separate AM (high autofluorescence) from DC, we used a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) to separate BAL cells into a low autofluorescent (LAF) fraction and a high autofluorescent (HAF) fraction. Immunocytologic and functional properties of these fractions were investigated. The LAF fraction was composed of acid phosphatase (APh)- and RFD9-negative cells, which were strongly positive for HLA-DR, L25, RFD1, and CD68. A portion of these cells expressed CD1a (22%) and My4 (60%). The marker pattern of these cells is reminiscent to that of intraepithelial bronchial DC and to that of blood DC. The majority of the LAF cells had a monocyte-like morphology, but after overnight culture the percentage of LAF cells with long cytoplasmic extensions (DC morphology) was strongly augmented (from 18 to 51%). The HAF fraction contained 100% AM, strongly positive for APh, HLA-DR, CD68, RFD7, and RFD9. In culture, the LAF cells formed clusters with T cells and vigorously stimulated the proliferation of allogeneic T cells and naive (CD45RO-negative) T cells. BAL and LAF cells produced higher responses in nonsmokers than in smokers. In contrast, HAF cells did not form clusters with T cells and did not stimulate allogeneic T cell proliferation. HAF cells even suppressed mitogen-driven T cell proliferation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Haarst
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hoogsteden
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Verhoeven
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Havenith
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Drexhage
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D012907:Smoking