PROCOLLAGEN-III PEPTIDE IN BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE FLUID - A POTENTIAL MARKER OF ALTERED COLLAGEN-SYNTHESIS REFLECTING PULMONARY-DISEASE IN SARCOIDOSIS

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  • 1 December 1986
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (6) , 654-656
Abstract
Type III procollagen N-terminal peptide was not detectable in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from healthy volunteers but was present in fluid from the majority of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis (N = 110); the mean concentration was 0.6 .mu.g/liter returned fluid, range .ltoreq. 0.2 to 19.5 or, expressed in relation to the amount of albumin recovered, 9.5 mg/gm albumin (range .ltoreq. 1 to 45). The serum concentrations in the patients with sarcoidosis were normal. Significant inverse correlations were found between lavage fluid procollagen peptide and vital capacity (p < 0.001), forced expiratory volume (p < 0.01), and diffusion capacity (p < 0.01). Lavage fluid procollagen peptide was also related to pulmonary radiological findings (p < 0.001) and serum levels of angiotensin converting enzyme (p < 0.001). These findings support the hypothesis that procollagen peptide in lavage fluid is a potential marker of activated pulmonary fibroblasts or an expanded fibroblast mass associated with interstitial lung fibrosis.