Elevated levels of interferon γ‐inducible protein‐10 and epithelial neutrophil‐activating peptide‐78 in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis

Abstract

Objective and background: Interferon γ‐inducible protein (IP)‐10 and epithelial neutrophil‐activating peptide (ENA)‐78 belong to the CXC chemokine family and are important factors in inflammatory lung diseases. In sarcoidosis, the potential role of IP‐10 to regulate the migration and activation of T‐cells towards sites of sarcoid activity has been suggested. Methods: In this study, the concentrations of IP‐10 and ENA‐78 in the serum and BAL fluid of patients with different stages of active pulmonary sarcoidosis (n = 41) and healthy subjects (n = 12) were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to evaluate the contribution of these CXC chemokines to this disease. Results: Serum and BAL fluid concentrations of IP‐10 and BAL fluid levels of ENA‐78 in patients with sarcoidosis were significantly higher than those in control subjects. The serum levels of IP‐10 were significantly increased only in patients with stages I and II sarcoidosis, while BAL fluid levels of ENA‐78 were increased only in stage III sarcoidosis. In addition, serum concentrations of IP‐10 were elevated in patients with extrapulmonary lesions compared with those without such lesions. In patients with sarcoidosis, IP‐10 concentrations in BAL fluid correlated with lymphocyte proportions in BAL fluid. Conclusion: IP‐10 may play an important role in regulating lymphocytes into the lung and that ENA‐78 may be associated with lung parenchymal disease in pulmonary sarcoidosis.