The T cell receptor subsets of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether or not the levels of gamma/delta lymphocytes increase in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.


METHODS
Prospective data collection relating to cells in BAL fluid and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and control subjects.


METHODS
A university hospital, from March 1990 to December 1993.


METHODS
Thirteen patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who were diagnosed by culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from their sputum of BAL fluid and/or clinical response were enrolled in the study. Fifteen healthy volunteers participated as control subjects.


RESULTS
The differential cell counts in BAL fluid were made by Diff-Quik stain. The percentages of T-cell receptor (TCR) (gamma/delta and alpha/beta)-positive lymphocytes and interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor-positive CD3 lymphocytes in BAL fluid and peripheral blood were measured by dual scan with flow-cytometry. The percentage and absolute number of lymphocytes and the percentages of CD3+, IL2R+ lymphocytes in BAL fluid significantly increased in patients with tuberculosis when compared with those of control subjects. The percentages and numbers of gamma/delta and alpha/beta TCR-positive lymphocytes in BAL fluid and PBMC from patients with tuberculosis and indistinguishable from those of control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
gamma/delta Lymphocytes do not appear to have as much meaning in patients as they do in animal studies.
Division of Allergy and Pulmonary Medicine, Soon Chun Hyang University, Seoul, Korea.
S T
ST
Uh
S Y
SY
Ki
G I
GI
Lim
S H
SH
Moon
S W
SW
Jeong
H T
HT
Kim
Y H
YH
Kim
C S
CS
Park
D000328:Adult; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology*
D017252:CD3 Complex; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell