Fig. 2.

Sarcoidosis alveolar macrophages (AM) (n = 15) (a) and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) AM (n = 20) (b) were incubated with glutathione S-transferase (GST)-proTNF) substrate for 2 h. The cleaved substrate was then detected by Western blotting using a specific GST antibody. Cleavage of GST-proTNF by AM (n = 50) is associated with an increased number of neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). P = 0·001, Pearson's correlation (c). The ability of BB-3103 to inhibit GST-proTNF cleavage is related inversely to the percentage number of alveolar neutrophils present in the BALF. AM (n = 50) were preincubated for 30 min with 10 µM BB-3103 before addition of GST-proTNF substrate for 2 h. P = 0·006, Pearson's correlation (d).