[Study of pulmonary lymphocyte populations obtained by alveolar lavage]

Purified alveolar lymphocytes obtained by bronchial lavage have been studied in 66 subjects: 8 normals, 24 sarcoidosis, 8 tuberculosis, 4 hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 6 collagen diseases and 16 miscellaneous. The following T and B lymphocyte markers have been used: E and EAC Rosettes, Surface membrane immunoglobulins, la antigen and human T lymphocyte antigens. The PHA or ConA responses of some blood and alveolar lymphocyte cultures have also been compared. The results emphasize: -- the tight correlation between the different marker techniques to T and B lymphocytes; -- the larger increases of T lymphocytes in active vs inactive sarcoidosis (p less than 0.001); -- the difference in T lymphocyte number in active vs inactive tuberculosis and in treated vs untreated miliary tuberculosis; -- the absence of alveolar lymphocyte increase in collagen diseases.