Elevated levels of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia.
Thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) is a lymphocyte-directed CC chemokine, which plays a role in the recruitment of CC chemokine receptor-4 positive T helper 2 (Th2) cells. In this study, we measured concentrations of TARC and Th2 cell-derived cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, as well as TARC concentrations in serum from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia and other interstitial lung diseases. TARC was significantly elevated in BAL fluids from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia (median, 240 pg/ml), whereas TARC was undetectable (< 7 pg/ml) in most cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, as well as in healthy control subjects. Also, when present, quantities were less than 20 pg/ml. Elevated concentrations of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 were also detected in BAL fluid from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia. Interestingly, TARC concentrations in BAL fluids were closely correlated with the concentrations of IL-5 and IL-13. A serial examination showed that elevated TARC in BAL fluid rapidly fell to below detectable limits preceding decreases in IL-5 concentration and eosinophil percentage. Our results, in concordance with previous studies, demonstrate the potential activity of TARC for recruiting Th2 cells to the lungs and suggest a significant role for TARC in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic pneumonia.
Miyazaki
Eishi
E
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Oita, Japan. eishida@oita-med.ac.jp
Nureki
Shin-ichi
S
Fukami
Tetsujiro
T
Shigenaga
Takehiko
T
Ando
Masaru
M
Ito
Kazunobu
K
Ando
Hiroaki
H
Sugisaki
Katsunori
K
Kumamoto
Toshihide
T
Tsuda
Tomiyasu
T
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000542:Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011657:Pulmonary Eosinophilia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000378:metabolism; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism
C106230:CCL17 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007378:Interleukins