EXPRESSION OF CD14 CORRELATES WITH LUNG-FUNCTION IMPAIRMENT IN PULMONARY SARCOIDOSIS

CD14 expression on alveolar macrophages (AM) was studied in patients w ith sarcoidosis using immunocytochemistry and cytometric analysis. Com pared with healthy control donors, patients had elevated percentages o f CD14-positive AM (22 percent vs 34 percent), and the antigen density was threefold higher (92 vs 297 channels). Furthermore, soluble serum CD14 (ssCD14) was significantly elevated in patients with sarcoidosis with an average of 5.3 +/- 1.6 mg/L vs 3.2 +/- 0.7 mg/L in healthy co ntrol subjects. Follow-up of one patient, whose lung function test res ults improved during therapy with corticosteroids, revealed a concomit ant decrease of CD14 staining on AM and of ssCD14. Statistical analysi s revealed a negative correlation between CD14 expression on AM and PO 2 at rest (p = 0.0005), and after labor (p = 0.02). Levels of ssCD14 g ave a positive correlation to reduction of DCO (p = 0.006) and VC (p = 0.05). These data suggest that CD14 expression is related to severity of disease and that it may be useful for monitoring in sarcoidosis.