The role of interleukin-8 in interstitial pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
A variety of inflammatory cells accumulate in the lungs of patients with interstitial lung disease. The potential for IL-8 to be released from these cells into the lungs of patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP), interstitial pneumonia with collagen vascular disease (IP-CVD), sarcoidosis (SAR) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) was investigated.


METHODS
IL-8 levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in BAL fluid and serum, and the expression of IL-8 in the lungs of these patients was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Serum IL-8 levels were significantly elevated in patients with IIP (P < 0.05) and SAR (P < 0.01). In BAL fluid, the IL-8 level was significantly higher in patients with IIP (P < 0.05), IP-CVD (P < 0.01), SAR (P < 0.01) and HP (P < 0.01). In several cases, IL-8 level correlated with neutrophil density. The IL-8 immunopositive cells were type II pulmonary epithelial cells and alveolar and interstitial macrophages in patients with IIP and IP-CVD.


CONCLUSIONS
IL-8 is likely to be a key factor in the pathogenesis of fibrosis of the lung and in lung injury.
Fujimori
Yoshiaki
Y
Department of Internal Medicine II, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama City, Okayama, Japan.
Kataoka
Mikio
M
Tada
Shinya
S
Takehara
Hideki
H
Matsuo
Kiyoshi
K
Miyake
Toshitsugu
T
Okahara
Masayuki
M
Yamadori
Ichiro
I
Tanimoto
Mitsune
M
D000403:Airway Resistance; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D016209:Interleukin-8