Pulmonary Immune Effector Cells in Guinea Pigs with Immune Complex Disease. I. Changes in T- and B-Lymphocyte Populations after Exposure to Antigen

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Changes in immunologic effector cell populations in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar spaces, tracheobronchial lymph nodes, spleen and peripheral blood were evaluated during the course of a pulmonary immune complex disease in guinea pigs. The number of macrophages, lymphocytes and neutrophils present in each cell population were determined. T and B lymphocytes were identified by an E [erythrocyte] and EAC [erythrocyte-antibody-complement] rosette formation, respectively. An increase in the total number of lymphocytes in tracheobronchial lymph nodes and a greater proportion of B cells in these lymphocyte populations were observed at 12 and 24 h postchallenge. The total number of macrophages, lymphocytes and neutrophils recovered from the bronchoalveolar spaces also increased, as did the proportion of lymphocytes and neutrophils. A similar proportional increase of lymhphocytes obtained from lung tissue also occurred. The proportion of B cells in the lymphocyte populations of the bronchoalveolar spaces and lung tissue increased to a maximum at 24-48 h postchallenge. Cell populations from peripheral blood or spleen remained stable, by all parameters examined, during the disease process. There appears to be a localization of the immune inflammatory response in the lungs during the course of this pulmonary immune complex disease. Immune effector cells obtained by bronchial lavage accurately reflect the cellular changes associated with the acute inflammatory response in lung tissue and pulmonary lymph nodes.