The changes in local immunology play an important role in lung cancer development. We used bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood (PB) for the analysis of cell profiles in patients with primary lung cancer. Twenty-one patients with confirmed primary lung cancer and 13 healthy volunteers were investigated. All persons were smokers. The analysis of T-cell subsets was performed with a flow cytometry method and with the following antibodies: anti CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD25, CD45, CD56, and HLA-DR. We found differences in the proportion of lymphocytes between BALF and PB, and a higher proportion of T cells and a lower proportion of B and natural-killer (NK) cells in BALF. There was a significant difference in the proportion of T-cytotoxic/suppressor lymphocytes, which was elevated in the BALF of patients and decreased in patients' PB. The T-helper:T-cytotoxic/suppressor (Th:Tc/s) ratio was significantly lower in the BALF of patients. These changes were visible in patients with a small cell type. The percentage of T cells with the alpha chain of receptor to IL-2 (IL -R) was lower in the BALF of patients than in the control group. Our observations reflect local changes in lung environment in patients affected with lung cancer.

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Patients with scleroderma (systemic sclerosis-SSc) frequently develop an interstitial lung disease. The role of lymphocytes in fibrosing alveolitis preceding lung fibrosis has been established. The purpose of this work was to evaluate cell profiles and lymphocyte phenotypes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and to correlate them with depression in lung function tests detected by depletion of diffusing capacity (DLCO). BAL was carried out in 25 untreated, non-smoking patients suffering from diffuse scleroderma and in 12 healthy non-smoking volunteers. For the analysis of lymphocyte sub-sets flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies were used. The following cell sub-types were counted: T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, helper lymphocytes, suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes, natural killer cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes and activated T lymphocytes. The total cell count was higher in the group of patients with mild and moderate impairment in DLCO. The percentage of lymphocytes was greater in patients with DLCO lower than 65% of the predicted value since neutrophilia was found in patients with severe DLCO depletion, i.e. significant when compared with healthy subjects. The proportions of suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes and of activated T lymphocytes were higher in patients than in controls. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between patients with moderate and mild changes in DLCO and the healthy volunteers. A decreased helper/suppressor ratio was noticed in these patients. We concluded that the BALF lymphocyte phenotype analysis may reflect the features of alveolitis in patients with SSc.

Fifty-one fish meal factory workers in four Polish harbour cities were investigated. They had been employed in the fish meal factory for 1--33 years and 10.7 years on average. All but seven of these were smokers. The investigation consisted of respiratory symptoms questionnaire, chest X-ray, physical examination, respiratory function assessment, intradermal skin tests to ten fish genera, total serum IgE and serum precipitins to fish antigen assessment. Chronic bronchitis was diagnosed in 29 investigated patients. In 12 (23%) of the patients, according to their case history or to skin tests, allergy to fish was suspected, but was confirmed by elevated serum IgE levels in only two of these. In no cases were serum precipitins against fish antigen found. In six patients, either obstructive or restrictive changes were diagnosed according to conventional spirometry, but by MEF50% VC in 17 subjects (33%) slight airways obstruction was diagnosed and can be regarded as the result of the habit of smoking. According to the performed investigation, only two workers presented a full clinical and immunological picture of allergy to fish. From the practical point of view, this type of professional activity is less dangerous than might be theoretically expected.

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