GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTORS IN HUMAN ALVEOLAR MACROPHAGES AND PERIPHERAL-BLOOD CELLS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 47  (2) , 505-511
Abstract
The number of glucocorticoid receptors in human alveolar macrophages and peripheral blood cells were measured with 3H-prednisolone. Alveolar macrophages, which constituted 89.0 .+-. 5.9% of bronchoalveolar cells, obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from normal volunteers, had much larger numbers of specific glucocorticoid receptors than peripheral blood cells. The numbers of gucocorticoid receptors in peripheral polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations (B cells, T cells, TG cells and TnonG cells) were nearly equal. In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in whom alveolar macrophages amounted to over 85% of the bronchoalveolar cells, the number of glucocorticoid receptors in alveolar macrophages was significantly decreased, but the numbers in their peripheral blood cells were normal. Thus, the number of glucocorticoid receptors in alveolar macrophages may change specificially during disorders of the lung.