engleski

Expression of CD38 and its ligand CD31 on cells in normal bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and interstitial lung diseases

Background and purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the biological relevance of the CD38-CD38L system in lung interstitium by studing their distribution in the interstitial lung diseases (ILD). By immunophenotypization of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) obtained cells from normal lung and of those with interstitial diseases we attempted to define the role played in vivo by human CD38 and its ligand CD31. Patients and methods: Forty-four ILD patients were analysed and their BAL profiles were compared with the same parameters in 9 healthy volunteers. Three-color flow cytometry was used to determine the surface expression of CD38 and CD31 in CD4+, CD8+ and HLA-DR+ lymphocytes, macrophages and granulocytes in BAL. Results: Results are expressed as median percentage of CD38+ and CD31+ lymphocytes, macrophages and granulocytes. In healthy individuals CD38 and CD31 were low, and both CD4 and CD8 subsets bearing CD38 and HLA-DR were low too. By contrast, in ILD the number of CD38 and CD31 cells was elevated, and the highest percentages were detected in active sarcoidosis. Conclusion: CD38 and CD31 on human BAL cells could serve as local regulatory molecules regulating interactions between homo- and heterotypic cells. Moreover, the results of this study suggest that their expression could be used as a marker of active sarcoidosis. This biological meaning of the simultaneous expression of CD38 and of its ligand CD31 in activated lymphocytes remains to be determined.

bronchoalveolar lavage; CD38 and CD31; flow cytometry

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