[A study of the expression of CD(44) in pneumocytes in pulmonary sarcoidosis].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of CD(44) in pneumocytes in pulmonary sarcoidosis.


METHODS
CD(44) and AE(1)/AE(3) were detected by immunostaining in lung tissues from 21 cases of pulmonary sarcoidosis, 5 cases of tuberculosis, 4 cases of idiopathic interstitial fibrosis, 3 cases of Wegener's granulomatosis and 8 normal controls. The numbers of CD(44) positive cells and AE(1)/AE(3) positive cells (total alveolar epithelial cells) per three high-power fields were counted, and the ratio of CD(44) cells to AE(1)/AE(3) cells (84 +/- 6) were calculated.


RESULTS
The total number of alveolar epithelial cells (110 +/- 32) and the density of CD(44) cells were significantly higher in sarcoidosis than in the normal lungs. CD(44) (18 +/- 4) staining was localized in the pneumocyte membrane and the positive cells were mostly type II pneumocytes as confirmed by histology.


CONCLUSIONS
Proliferation of pneumocytes and increased expression of CD(44) in pneumocyte membrane, especially in the type II pneumocytes, may play an important role in lung inflammation and repair in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Na
Jia
J
Department of Pathology, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100034, China.
Wang
Guangfa
G
Wang
Rengui
R
Zhang
Ying
Y
He
Bing
B
D000328:Adult; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors