[Antigen presentation in pulmonary tuberculosis].

Antigen presenting capacity (APCC) by monocytes (Mono) and alveolar macrophages (AM), using PPD as the antigen, was determined in 15 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and 9 healthy controls who all showed positive PPD skin tests. Results were as follows: 1) Mono from both healthy controls and tuberculosis showed APCC to autologous peripheral T lymphocytes, and no significant difference was observed between the two groups. 2) AM from tuberculosis showed APCC to autologous peripheral T lymphocytes, however AM from healthy controls did not. 3) APCC by autologous Mono or AM to lung T-lymphocytes was lower than that to peripheral T-lymphocytes, but the difference was not significant. 4) In tuberculosis, APCC, observed before chemotherapy, was remarkably weakened during the first two months of therapy, and almost recovered to the previous level thereafter. 5) The mechanism which enhances APCC by AM in tuberculosis is uncertain. But neither increased DR antigen expression on AM nor release of IL-1 from AM suggested to be be responsible for the enhanced APCC in tuberculosis.