title: CD34+ progenitor cells in pulmonary sarcoidosis.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a disease of unclear etiology, immunopathogenesis complex and diverse clinical course.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of study was to evaluate the usefulness of CD34+ cells, CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes in peripheral blood for the diagnosis and better understanding of the sarcoidosis pathogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 40 patients (16 women and 24 men) aged 29-71 years (mean 45 years) with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects (18 women and 12 men) aged 24-65 years (mean 47 years). Tests were performed in peripheral blood, and lymphocytes CD4 and CD8 and progenitor CD34+ cells surface antigens were determined by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It has been shown that number of CD34+ progenitor cells in peripheral blood was significantly higher in patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary sarcoidosis and showed a positive correlation with CD4/ CD8 rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD34+ progenitor cells may be important in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. It is necessary to conduct further studies that identify heterogenous population of CD34+ cells with particular focus on fibrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw, Poland; Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense: Department of Internal Medicine, Pneumonology and Allergology.
authors.forename: Tadeusz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Płusa
authors.affiliation: Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw, Poland; Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of National Defense: Department of Hematology with Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chełstowska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34
keywords: CD34+ progenitor cells; fibrocytes; sarcoidosis