title: [Clinical significance of serum KL-6 in pulmonary sarcoidosis].
abstract: We investigated whether the level of serum KL-6 could be an activity marker for pulmonary sarcoidosis. In 33 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, the relationships between serum KL-6 levels and diagnostic imaging, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) levels, serum lysozyme levels, steroid therapy, and prognosis were evaluated. There were no significant differences in the level of serum KL-6 when the patients were divided on the basis of radiographic findings, but the level of serum KL-6 was markedly elevated in some patients with stage-II pulmonary sarcoidosis. There was a significant correlation between serum KL-6 levels and the following two parameters: serum ACE and lysozyme levels. Among patients with a high initial level of serum KL-6, pulmonary sarcoidosis tended to become exacerbated within one year. Steroid therapy significantly decreased the level of serum KL-6, suggesting that the level of serum KL-6 could be an activity indicator for pulmonary sarcoidosis. Immunohistochemical staining by anti-KL-6 antibody revealed that KL-6 was localized in proliferating type-II alveolar epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Internal Respiratory Department, Fujita Health University Second Hospital, 3-6-10 Otobashi, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya, 454-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teruya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Banno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tachikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018396:Mucin-1; D009077:Mucins; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D006023:Glycoproteins; C060192:MUC1 protein, human; D018396:Mucin-1; D009077:Mucins