G Zissel, J Homolka, J Schlaak, M Schlaak and J Muller-Quernheim
Research Institute Borstel, Medical Hospital, Germany.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic, granulomatous disorder with a high rate of spontaneous remission indicating the presence of antiinflammatory mechanisms. Antiinflammatory mediators such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) should be able to induce spontaneous remission of sarcoidosis. By measuring the release of both mediators in culture supernatants of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells, we investigated their relevance in the spontaneous remission of sarcoidosis. No spontaneous IL-10 release was observed by BAL cells of sarcoid patients. In supernatants of BAL cells of seven patients found retrospectively to be free of any interstitial lung disease, we found 612 +/- 261.2 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) TGF-beta. TGF-beta release was recorded in 20 of 39 patients with active disease. Patients with active disease without TGF-beta release in BAL cell culture either required therapy (n = 21; 677 +/- 159 pg/ml) or showed evidence of persisting disease (n = 6; 762 +/- 419 pg/ml). Patients with active disease without indications for therapy and with significantly increased TGF- beta release (n = 12; 1,422 +/- 215 pg/ml; p < 0.004 in all comparisons) had a spontaneous remission within 6 mo. Increased TGF- beta release (1,560 +/- 353 pg/ml) was observed in five of five patients receiving therapy. We conclude that TGF-beta is a regulator of the inflammatory process in sarcoidosis.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. C. Jonth, L. Silveira, T. E. Fingerlin, H. Sato, J. C. Luby, K. I. Welsh, C. S. Rose, L. S. Newman, R. M. du Bois, L. A. Maier, et al. TGF-beta1 Variants in Chronic Beryllium Disease and Sarcoidosis J. Immunol., September 15, 2007; 179(6): 4255 - 4262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. Grutters and J. M. M. van den Bosch Corticosteroid treatment in sarcoidosis. Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2006; 28(3): 627 - 636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Kruit, J. C. Grutters, H. J. T. Ruven, C. H. M. van Moorsel, R. Weiskirchen, S. Mengsteab, and J. M. M. van den Bosch Transforming Growth Factor-{beta} Gene Polymorphisms in Sarcoidosis Patients With and Without Fibrosis Chest, June 1, 2006; 129(6): 1584 - 1591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Idali, M. Wiken, J. Wahlstrom, H. Mellstedt, A. Eklund, H. Rabbani, and J. Grunewald Reduced Th1 response in the lungs of HLA-DRB1*0301 patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. Eur. Respir. J., March 1, 2006; 27(3): 451 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Ohchi, N. Shijubo, I. Kawabata, S. Ichimiya, S.-i. Inomata, A. Yamaguchi, Y. Umemori, Y. Itoh, S. Abe, Y. Hiraga, et al. Polymorphism of Clara Cell 10-kD Protein Gene of Sarcoidosis Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2004; 169(2): 180 - 186. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Kaminski, J. A. Belperio, P. B. Bitterman, L. Chen, S. W. Chensue, A. M.K. Choi, S. Dacic, J. H. Dauber, R. M. du Bois, J. J. Enghild, et al. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., September 1, 2003; 29(3): S1 - 105. [Full Text] [PDF]

				H-P Hauber, D Gholami, A Meyer, and A Pforte Increased interleukin-13 expression in patients with sarcoidosis Thorax, June 1, 2003; 58(6): 519 - 524. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Moller and E. S. Chen Genetic Basis of Remitting Sarcoidosis: Triumph of the Trimolecular Complex? Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., October 1, 2002; 27(4): 391 - 395. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G.M. Verleden, R.M. du Bois, D. Bouros, M. Drent, A. Millar, J. Muller-Quernheim, G. Semenzato, S. Johnson, G. Sourvinos, D. Olivieri, et al. Genetic predisposition and pathogenetic mechanisms of interstitial lung diseases of unknown origin Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2001; 18(32_suppl): 17S - 29s. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				U. Costabel Sarcoidosis: clinical update Eur. Respir. J., July 1, 2001; 18(32_suppl): 56S - 68s. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. WAHLSTRÖM, K. KATCHAR, H. WIGZELL, O. OLERUP, A. EKLUND, and J. GRUNEWALD Analysis of Intracellular Cytokines in CD4+ and CD8+ Lung and Blood T Cells in Sarcoidosis Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 1, 2001; 163(1): 115 - 121. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. S. Tinkle, L. A. Kittle, and L. S. Newman Partial IL-10 Inhibition of the Cell-Mediated Immune Response in Chronic Beryllium Disease J. Immunol., September 1, 1999; 163(5): 2747 - 2753. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Armstrong, N. M Foley, and A. B Millar Inter-relationship between tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha ) and TNF soluble receptors in pulmonary sarcoidosis Thorax, June 1, 1999; 54(6): 524 - 530. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				D. O'Donnell, J Moynihan, G. Finlay, V. Keatings, C. O'Connor, P McLoughlin, and M. Fitzgerald Exhaled nitric oxide and bronchoalveolar lavage nitrite/nitrate in active pulmonary sarcoidosis Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., December 1, 1997; 156(6): 1892 - 1896. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. W. ZIEGENHAGEN, U. K. BENNER, G. ZISSEL, P. ZABEL, M. SCHLAAK, and J. MÜLLER-QUERNHEIM Sarcoidosis: TNF-alpha Release from Alveolar Macrophages and Serum Level of sIL-2R Are Prognostic Markers Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1997; 156(5): 1586 - 1592. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				G. ZISSEL, I. BÄUMER, B. FLEISCHER, M. SCHLAAK, and J. MÜLLER-QUERNHEIM TCR Vbeta Families in T Cell Clones from Sarcoid Lung Parenchyma, BAL, and Blood Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 1, 1997; 156(5): 1593 - 1600. [Abstract] [Full Text]