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Decreased phosphatidylcholine in the lung fluid of patients with sarcoidosis
Author(s) -
Baughman Robert P.,
Strohofer Susan,
Dohn Michael
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02534243
Subject(s) - sarcoidosis , bronchoalveolar lavage , lung , medicine , phosphatidylcholine , pulmonary surfactant , lipidology , clinical chemistry , immune system , pathology , gastroenterology , immunology , chemistry , phospholipid , biochemistry , membrane
Surfactant decreases the immune response of lymphocytes. Pulmonary sarcoidosis is a disease characterized by an increased number and activity of lymphocytes in the lung. We measured the lipids and lymphocytes retrieved from the lung by bronchoalveolar lavage. Thirteen patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis had a significantly higher percentage of lymphocytes (18±21%, mean ± standard error of the mean) than 10 control subjects (4±1.9%, p<0.01). Using an external marker, we found the absolute amount of disaturated phosphatidylcholine to be higher in the control group (174±17.4 μg/ml lung fluid) than in the sarcoid group (91±1.9 μg/ml of lung fluid, p<0.002).