A morphologic study of lung secretory leukoprotease inhibitor in pneumonia

The present study was undertaken to determine the localization of cells laden with secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) in bronchial/bronchiolar epithelium (B/Br-E) by histochemical techniques to see whether SLPI production occurs in conjunction with pathologic bronchopneumonia. Ten lung were obtained at autopsy from patients between 63 and 100 yr of age, including six with pathologic pneumonia and four without pneumonia. SLPI-laden cells in the B/Br-E corresponded mostly to goblet cells with apparent hyperplasia. A morphometric study performed on the B/Br-E indicated that the percentage of SLPI-laden cells was significantly correlated with the percentage of mucus-containing cells (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). This trend was similar in the bronchi (r = 0.60, p < 0.05) and in the bronchioles (r = 0.90, p < 0.01). The increased percentage of mucus and SLPI-laden cells in the B/Br-E was closely correlated with acute inflammatory changes in the adjacent alveoli, particularly in bronchi rather than in bronchioles. From these observations we conclude that the number of SLPI-laden cells in the airways increases in correlation with goblet cell hyperplasia. In addition, these morphologic changes are associated with the existence of acute inflammatory cell infiltration in the alveolar area.