Elevated levels of interferon gamma-inducible protein-10 and epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide-78 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND

Interferon gamma-inducible protein (IP)-10 and epithelial neutrophil-activating peptide (ENA)-78 belong to the CXC chemokine family and are important factors in inflammatory lung diseases. In sarcoidosis, the potential role of IP-10 to regulate the migration and activation of T-cells towards sites of sarcoid activity has been suggested.

METHODS

In this study, the concentrations of IP-10 and ENA-78 in the serum and BAL fluid of patients with different stages of active pulmonary sarcoidosis (n=41) and healthy subjects (n=12) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the contribution of these CXC chemokines to this disease.

RESULTS

Serum and BAL fluid concentrations of IP-10 and BAL fluid levels of ENA-78 in patients with sarcoidosis were significantly higher than those in control subjects. The serum levels of IP-10 were significantly increased only in patients with stages I and II sarcoidosis, while BAL fluid levels of ENA-78 were increased only in stage III sarcoidosis. In addition, serum concentrations of IP-10 were elevated in patients with extrapulmonary lesions compared with those without such lesions. In patients with sarcoidosis, IP-10 concentrations in BAL fluid correlated with lymphocyte proportions in BAL fluid.

CONCLUSION

IP-10 may play an important role in regulating lymphocytes into the lung and that ENA-78 may be associated with lung parenchymal disease in pulmonary sarcoidosis.