[Activation and metabolic changes of macrophages in immunology of tuberculosis]

The effects of aging and malnutrition on BAL cells, such as metabolic disorders and various immune responses, have been examined. In malnourished animals, the composition of phospholipids in BAL cells were changed, and the decrease in the number of specific prednisolone binding sites was recognized. Furthermore, the decrease of total cell counts and the population of lymphocytes, neutrophils and Ia-positive macrophages were observed in BAL cells. However, BAL cells obtained from heat-killed BCG sensitized animals in malnutrition preserved a good responsiveness. These impaired cellular development following starvation could be partly reversed by some antigenic factors, resulting in heavier cell infiltration and granuloma formation in the lung tissues. These observations suggest that alterations in immune responses accompanying malnutrition may be closely related to the mechanism of reactivation and the clinical course and profile of tuberculosis.