Popp W, Braun O, Zwick H, Rauscher H, Ritschka L
Pulmonary Department, KH Lainz, Vienna, Austria.
Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol. 1989;414(5):393-7. doi: 10.1007/BF00718622.
The expression of HLA-DR antigen on alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage in healthy controls and patients with different diseases was investigated, using cytofluorographic analysis and phykoerythrin conjugated monoclonal mouse anti-human HLA-DR antibody. Alveolar macrophages in patients with extrinsic allergic alveolitis (n = 4), idiopathic lung fibrosis (n = 4), sarcoidosis (n = 6), rheumatoid lung disease (n = 6) and pulmonary infection (n = 5) showed increased density of HLA-DR antigen expression compared to healthy control subjects (n = 5). The increased expression of HLA-DR antigen on alveolar macrophages confirms the importance of these cells for recognition of antigens and immunological responses in different pulmonary diseases.
