       Document 0129
 DOCN  M9610129
 TI    Gamma/delta T lymphocytes in the blood of patients with sarcoidosis.
 DT    9601
 AU    Wilsher ML; Hallowes M; Birchall NM; Department of Respiratory Medicine,
       Green Lane Hospital, Auckland; 3, New Zealand.
 SO    Thorax. 1995 Aug;50(8):858-62. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96010114
 AB    BACKGROUND--Gamma/delta T lymphocytes are thought to have a role in
       granulomatous immune responses at peripheral sites of antigen contact
       such as the gut, skin and lung. The aim of this study was to determine
       if gamma/delta T lymphocytes are increased in the peripheral blood of
       patients with active sarcoidosis. METHODS--Peripheral blood from 21
       untreated patients with a new presentation of sarcoidosis (12M, 9F), 20
       normal volunteers (12M, 8F), and 12 patients with cavitary pulmonary
       tuberculosis were subjected to Ficoll Hypaque separation and flow
       cytometry analysis using monoclonal antibodies to CD3, 4, 8, 25, HLA-DR
       and gamma/delta T cell receptor. RESULTS--All patients with sarcoidosis
       had compatible chest radiographs and all were Mantoux negative in spite
       of previous BCG vaccination. In all but one patient histological
       examination showed non-caseating granuloma. There was no difference in
       the mean percentage or absolute numbers of gamma/delta positive
       peripheral blood lymphocytes between the three populations. Thirteen
       patients with sarcoidosis had an absolute lymphopenia and the mean
       percentage of CD3 positive peripheral blood lymphocytes in the group
       with sarcoidosis was lower than the other two groups. The percentage of
       CD25 and HLA-DR positive cells was higher in the group with sarcoidosis,
       supporting the fact that these patients had active disease.
       CONCLUSION--Gamma/delta T lymphocytes are not increased in the
       peripheral blood of patients with sarcoidosis and are unlikely to have a
       role in the pathogenesis of this disease.
 DE    Adolescence  Adult  Aged  Comparative Study  CD4 Lymphocyte Count
       CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes  Female  Human  HLA-DR Antigens/ANALYSIS
       Lymphocyte Count  Male  Middle Age  Receptors, Interleukin-2/ANALYSIS
       Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary/*BLOOD/IMMUNOLOGY  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
       *T-Lymphocyte Subsets/IMMUNOLOGY  Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/BLOOD  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

