title: Elevated levels of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with eosinophilic pneumonia.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Oita Medical University, Oita, Japan. eishida@oita-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Eishi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nureki
authors.forename: Tetsujiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukami
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shigenaga
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Kazunobu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugisaki
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
authors.forename: Tomiyasu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuda
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: C106230:CCL17 protein, human; D054414:Chemokine CCL17; D019742:Chemokines, CC; D015848:Interleukin-5; D007378:Interleukins