Pulmonary dendritic cell accumulation in usual interstitial pneumonia and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia.

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary dendritic cells (DCs) are key regulators of immune responses. An increased accumulation of DCs was reported in the lungs of patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the number of pulmonary DCs in patients with collagen vascular disease associated interstitial lung diseases (CVD-ILDs).

DESIGN

Lung tissue samples obtained from 27 patients with IIP and 39 patients with CVD-ILD were detected using monoclonal antibodies against CD1a, CD1c, CD83, Langerin and DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN).

RESULTS

No significant differences in the number or distribution of DCs were observed between patients with IIP and CVD-ILDs. When DC marker expression was analyzed according to pathological subgroup, patients with idiopathic usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) showed increased DC-SIGN staining when compared with CVD-UIP (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Both mature and immature DCs accumulate in CVD-ILDs. The number of DCs expressing DC-SIGN in CVD-UIP was decreased compared with that in idiopathic UIP. The variation in accumulated DC-SIGN-positive cells might help to explain the differences in the development and maintenance of lung inflammation between idiopathic UIP and CVD-UIP.