Elsevier

Respiratory Medicine

Volume 107, Issue 9, September 2013, Pages 1444-1452
Respiratory Medicine

CCL18 in serum, BAL fluid and alveolar macrophage culture supernatant in interstitial lung diseases

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2013.06.004Get rights and content
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Summary

Background

CCL18 is a CC chemokine produced mainly by antigen-presenting cells, and is chemotactic predominantly for T-lymphocytes. CCL18 can stimulate pulmonary fibroblasts and increase the collagen production in vitro.

Objectives

This study aimed to compare the CCL18 levels in a variety of human biological fluids between various interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and to reveal potential correlations with BAL cell differentials.

Methods

Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected from 199 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia (iNSIP), respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease/desquamative interstitial pneumonia (RB-ILD/DIP), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) or sarcoidosis. Alveolar macrophage (AM) culture was performed in 44 patients with IPF, iNSIP, COP, HP, sarcoidosis or non-ILDs. The CCL18 levels in serum, BALF and AM culture supernatant were measured with ELISA.

Results

Both serum and BALF CCL18 levels in all ILDs were higher than in controls (all p < 0.005). In HP, CCL18 serum levels were the highest of all ILDs, and its BALF levels were significantly higher than in other ILDs except iNSIP. The BALF CCL18 levels markedly correlated with BAL cell differentials, especially with the percentage of BAL lymphocytes. In AM culture supernatant, the spontaneous CCL18 production was higher in HP and COP than in IPF and controls.

Conclusion

CCL18 levels in serum, BALF and AM culture supernatant are markedly increased in various inflammatory and fibrotic ILDs. However, the CCL18 level being highest in HP among the investigated ILDs suggests that CCL18 may be more profoundly involved in inflammatory immune responses.

Keywords

CCL18
Interstitial lung disease
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Inflammation
Fibrosis

Abbreviation list

AaO2
alveolar-arterial PO2 difference
AM
alveolar macrophage
AMAC
alternative macrophage activation-associated CC chemokine
ATS/ERS
American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society
BALF
bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
CCL
CC chemokine ligand
COP
cryptogenic organizing pneumonia
DC-CK
dendritic cell-chemokine
DIP
desquamative interstitial pneumonia
DLco
diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide
ELISA
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
FEV
forced expiratory volume
HP
hypersensitivity pneumonitis
HRCT
high-resolution computed tomography
IFN
interferon
IIP
idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
IL
interleukin
ILD
interstitial lung disease
IPF
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
LPS
lipopolysaccharide
MIP
monocyte inflammatory protein
NSIP
non-specific interstitial pneumonia
PARC
pulmonary and activity-regulated chemokine
RB-ILD
respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease
SaO2
oxygen percent saturation (arterial)
Th
T-helper
TNF
tumor necrosis factor
VC
vital capacity

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