Comparative in vitro reactivities of leukocytes from sarcoids and normals to different Kveim preparations

Comparative studies of in vivo and in vitro reactivities to Kveim preparations have been carried out in 45 sarcoid and 30 normal subjects. Lymphocytes of 14 of 45 sarcoids and 4 of 30 normals proliferated significantly in response to at least 1 of the 4 Kveim suspensions used for in vitro studies. The prevalence of positive responses were significantly greater in sarcoids than normals in cultures containing Kveim-CSL and Kveim-Edinburgh. The Kveim-reactive cells were less stimulated by PHA, but no other significant alterations were found, including the presence or absence of in vivo Kveim reactivity in the cell donors. Reactivity to more than 1 Kveim preparation occurred in 9 of 14 cases. Kveim-induced leukocyte migration inhibition occurred more commonly in sarcoids than normals, but differences were not as striking. There was not a precise correlation between proliferative and migration-inhibition responses to Kveim.