| pubmed-article:6584056 | pubmed:abstractText | Alveolar macrophages isolated by bronchoalveolar lavage from nonsmoking patients with sarcoidosis, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (DIF), and normal volunteers were examined for surface expression of Ia-like (DR) antigen using a monoclonal antibody technique. We found increased percentages of alveolar macrophages expressing DR antigen in the 8 patients with sarcoidosis (77 +/- 3%) and the 7 patients with DIF (78 +/- 3%) over that in the 9 healthy, nonsmoking volunteers (21 +/- 5%, p less than 0.05). Four patients, 2 with DIF and 2 with sarcoidosis, were studied before and 3 months after initiation of therapy. A decrease in DR antigen expression was found to be associated with clinical improvement. Alveolar macrophages from 3 patients were studied serially in culture, with a steady decrease in DR antigen expression with time. We conclude (1) that alveolar macrophages from patients with sarcoidosis and DIF are in a state of heightened activity, and (2) that DR antigen expression may be an indicator of disease activity. | lld:pubmed |
