Skip to main content
PMC home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1990 Feb;45(2):105–108. doi: 10.1136/thx.45.2.105

Pulmonary gamma interferon production in patients with fibrosing alveolitis.

B W Robinson 1, A H Rose 1
PMCID: PMC462317  PMID: 2107589

Abstract

Patients with fibrosing alveolitis have active inflammation within their lung interstitium. Previous studies have focused on the humoral (immune complex) driven processes. In this study increased pulmonary gamma interferon production has been evaluated. Bronchoalveolar lavage cells were obtained from 40 patients with fibrosing alveolitis, 22 with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis, and 18 with connective tissue disease associated (CTD) fibrosing alveolitis. Increased gamma interferon production was seen in 12 (30%) patients and was similar in the two study groups. Up to 512 units/10(6) cells were released over 24 hours, showing that the amounts of gamma interferon released could be as large as those seen in other pulmonary diseases associated with active cellular immune processes, such as sarcoidosis. Spontaneous gamma interferon production was related to increased serum concentrations of IgG and IgM but not to serum IgA, antinuclear antibody, or rheumatoid factor titres. There was no relation between gamma interferon production and pulmonary uptake of gallium-67 citrate. The ratio of helper-inducer (Leu-3) to suppressor-cytotoxic (Leu-2) cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was similar in the two study groups and was similar in patients whose cells produced gamma interferon and those whose cells did not. These data suggest that gamma interferon is released in the lungs of a proportion of individuals with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis and CTD-fibrosing alveolitis, suggesting a role for this cytokine in mediating these diseases.

Full text

PDF
107

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Crystal R. G., Bitterman P. B., Rennard S. I., Hance A. J., Keogh B. A. Interstitial lung diseases of unknown cause. Disorders characterized by chronic inflammation of the lower respiratory tract (first of two parts). N Engl J Med. 1984 Jan 19;310(3):154–166. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198401193100304. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Decker J. L., Malone D. G., Haraoui B., Wahl S. M., Schrieber L., Klippel J. H., Steinberg A. D., Wilder R. L. NIH conference. Rheumatoid arthritis: evolving concepts of pathogenesis and treatment. Ann Intern Med. 1984 Dec;101(6):810–824. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-101-6-810. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Dreisin R. B., Schwarz M. I., Theofilopoulos A. N., Stanford R. E. Circulating immune complexes in the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. N Engl J Med. 1978 Feb 16;298(7):353–357. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197802162980701. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Haslam P. L., Turton C. W., Lukoszek A., Salsbury A. J., Dewar A., Collins J. V., Turner-Warwick M. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell counts in cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis and their relation to therapy. Thorax. 1980 May;35(5):328–339. doi: 10.1136/thx.35.5.328. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hyde D. M., Henderson T. S., Giri S. N., Tyler N. K., Stovall M. Y. Effect of murine gamma interferon on the cellular responses to bleomycin in mice. Exp Lung Res. 1988;14(5):687–704. doi: 10.3109/01902148809087837. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kallenberg C. G., Schilizzi B. M., Beaumont F., De Leij L., Poppema S., The T. H. Expression of class II major histocompatibility complex antigens on alveolar epithelium in interstitial lung disease: relevance to pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. J Clin Pathol. 1987 Jul;40(7):725–733. doi: 10.1136/jcp.40.7.725. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Nugent K. M., Glazier J., Monick M. M., Hunninghake G. W. Stimulated human alveolar macrophages secrete interferon. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1985 May;131(5):714–718. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1985.131.5.714. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Reinherz E. L., Schlossman S. F. Current concepts in immunology: Regulation of the immune response--inducer and suppressor T-lymphocyte subsets in human beings. N Engl J Med. 1980 Aug 14;303(7):370–373. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198008143030704. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Robinson B. W., James A., Rose A. H., Sterrett G. F., Musk A. W. Bronchoalveolar lavage sampling of airway and alveolar cells. Br J Dis Chest. 1988 Jan;82(1):45–55. doi: 10.1016/0007-0971(88)90007-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Robinson B. W., McLemore T. L., Crystal R. G. Gamma interferon is spontaneously released by alveolar macrophages and lung T lymphocytes in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. J Clin Invest. 1985 May;75(5):1488–1495. doi: 10.1172/JCI111852. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Robinson B. W., Rose A. H., James A., Whitaker D., Musk A. W. Alveolitis of pulmonary asbestosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage studies in crocidolite- and chrysotile-exposed individuals. Chest. 1986 Sep;90(3):396–402. doi: 10.1378/chest.90.3.396. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Robinson B. W., Rose A. H., Thompson P. J., Hey A. Comparison of bronchoalveolar lavage helper/suppressor T-cell ratios in sarcoidosis versus other interstitial lung diseases. Aust N Z J Med. 1987 Feb;17(1):9–15. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1987.tb05041.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Schrier D. J., Phan S. H., McGarry B. M. The effects of the nude (nu/nu) mutation on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. A biochemical evaluation. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1983 May;127(5):614–617. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1983.127.5.614. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Turner-Warwick M. Connective tissue disorders and the lung. Aust N Z J Med. 1986 Apr;16(2):257–262. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1986.tb01175.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES