[Expression of human leukocyte antigen-DR in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis]
Lian-fang Ni1, Jia Na, Rui Deng
1Department of Geriatric Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
Objective:
To study the expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR in the lungs of the patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and to explore the possible autoimmunity mechanisms of lung fibrosis.
Methods:
Methods Immunohistochemistry (SP method) was used to detect the expression of HLA-DR in the lung specimens from 10 IPF patients and in 5 specimens of normal lung tissue immediately adjacent to lung carcinomas as controls.
Results:
HLA-DR antigens were expressed in the hyperplastic bronchi-alveolar epithelial cells in IPF, but not in the epithelial cells of the normal control lung tissues. The accumulated positive scores of HLA-DR of the IPF group was 27, significantly higher than that of the control group (2, Z = - 3.002, P = 0.001).
Conclusions:
Inappropriate HLA-DR expression is present in the bronchi -alveolar epithelium in IPF. Immune dysfunction may play an important role in the development of IPF.
