Copyright ©ERS Journals Ltd 2003 Evaluation of bronchoalveolar cells in pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis1 Dept of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, and 2 Dept of Internal Medicine, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) Medical School, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. CORRESPONDENCE: M.H.S.L. Blotta, Dept of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), PO Box 6111, 13083-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. Fax: 55 1932893273. E-mail: heblotta@fcm.unicamp.br
Keywords: bronchoalveolar lavage, CD8+ T-cells, interleukin-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-1
Received: November 30, 2002
To investigate the local immune response, the cellular infiltrate and cytokine levels were analysed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from patients with pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis. The group consisted of 19 patients aged 3465 yrs. The diagnosis was confirmed by demonstration of the fungus in the sputum or BAL fluid and by serological tests.
Cytospin preparations showed an increased number of lymphocytes and neutrophils in BAL. A higher number of CD8+ lymphocytes were observed in BAL compared with peripheral blood. Alveolar macrophages (AM) expressed approximately three-fold more major histocompatibility class II, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and B7-2 molecules on their surfaces than their circulating counterparts, indicating that they had differentiated into activated macrophages inside the lungs.
Cultured AM produced higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-
As macrophage inflammatory protein-1
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