RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Cytokine expression profiles of lymphocytes from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood in patients with interstitial lung diseases(ILDs) JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P3762 VO 44 IS Suppl 58 A1 Peter Paluch A1 Martina Sterclova A1 Veronika Polcova A1 Petra Mandakova A1 Milan Paulik A1 Ziad Khaznadar A1 Martina Vasakova YR 2014 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P3762.abstract AB Background:ILDs are heterogeneous group of diseases characterised by different extent of inflammation and interstitial fibrosis. Changes in lung cytokine environment(Th1/Th2 imbalance) were observed in different types of ILDs.Aim of our study:To compare cytokine expression of lymphocytes(Ly) obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL) fluid and from peripheral blood(PB) among different types of ILDs.Methods:9 patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis(HP), 5 with connective tissue diseases(CTD) and 6 with fibrosing ILDs(NSIP+IPF) were included into the prospective study. All enrolled subjects underwent bronchoscopy with BAL and collection of blood samples during the diagnostic programme. Expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 and INFg by CD4+ and CD8+ Ly from BAL and PB were measured by flow cytometry before and after nonspecific stimulation (PMA, Ionomicin). The Groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test.Results:Spontaneous cytokine expression in most cases was very low(median=0.2%), but after stimulation, increase in cytokine production was observed(med=1.5%), mainly in IL-2(med.=6.9%) and INFg(med.=36.5%). Differences between patients groups were statistically insignificant(p>0.05). Extremely high cytokine expression by one patient with IPF(IL-2, IL-4) and by two patients with acute HP(IL-2) was observed.Conclusion:Our results show that expression of IL-2, IL-4, IL-12 and INFg by T Ly from PB and BAL measured by FACS cannot be used to differentiate between diagnoses(HP, CTD and NSIP+IPF). We hypothesize that extraordinary high expression in 3 patients could be due to higher activity of the disease or exacerbation.Supported by grant IGA MZCR 1207.