• Toxicological Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.241-251
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• 1993

Present studies were carried out in order to estabilish the bronchoalveolar lavage method and to examine the response of bleomycin and peplomycin on the total cell number and the subpoulations of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A total of 24 male F344 rats, weighing 300-350 mg, were divided into 3 groups. Animals recelved either belomycin (BLM` 0.75 mg/0.2 ml/rat), peplomycin (PLM` 0.25mg/0.2ml/rat) for groups 2 and 3 or an equal volume of sterile saline lacking drugs for controls (group 1).

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.128-137
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• 1996

Background : We can diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis with sputum AFB smear and culture, but sputum AFB smear has low sensitivity and culture needs long period, and they are not available in the patients who can not expectorate effectively. Recently developed, PCR is a fast diagnostic tool in tuberculosis, but false positive and false negative are important problems. So, we studied the diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear, culture, PCR through the bronchoscopy. Methods : The 67 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 43 non-pulmonary tuberculosis patients were analyzed with their sputum specimen AFB smear and culture. Also, bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage were done, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear, culture and PCR were done. Results: 1) In the cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, the sensitivity of sputum AFB smear and culture were 32.8% and 57.4%, respectively. And the sensitivity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear and culture were 47.8% and 80.6%. respectively. 2) In the cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, the sensitivity and the positive predictive value(for predicting a positive culture) of PCR were 80.6% and 81.5%, respectively. 3) In the cases of sputum AFB smear-negative and culture-negative pulmonary tuberculosis, the sensitivity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear, culture, PCR, and the positive predictive value(for predicting a positive culture) of PCR were 23.1%, 100%, 88.5%, and 82.4%, respectively. 4) The specificity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid PCR was 77.0%. 5) The median number of days between obtaining a specimen and starting therapy was 5 days for sputum AFB smear, 9 days for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear, 26 days for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid PCR, 32 days for sputum culture, 56 days for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture. Conclusion : The sensitivity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid AFB smear and culture are higher than sputum AFB smear and culture. So, the bronchoscopy must be considered for evaluating suspected cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients from whom smears of expectorated sputum do not reveal mycobacteria or from whom no sputum can be obtained. Especially, combined with PCR, it is expected that pulmonary tuberculosis can be diagnosed more rapidly and more accurately, so bronchoalveolar lavage fluid APB smear and PCR can be helpful in the early treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.74 no.6
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• pp.264-268
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• 2013

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal pulmonary fibrotic disease. In general, the exaggerated activation of the coagulation cascade has been observed during initiation or maintenance of the fibrotic disease. In our recent study, immunohistochemical expression of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), which plays a key role in coagulation cascade, was observed in surgical specimen of IPF patients, and associated with poor clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overexpression of PAR-2 in inflammatory cells from peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in IPF patients. Methods: From May 2011 to March 2012, IPF patients and controls were enrolled in Seoul National University Hospital. Peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected for analysis of PAR-2 expression. Flow cytometry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used for PAR-2 receptor and mRNA assessment. Results: Twelve IPF patients and 14 controls were included in this study. Among them, flow cytometry analysis was conducted from 26 peripheral blood (patient group, 11; control group, 13) and 7 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (patient group, 5; control group, 2). The expression of PAR-2 receptor was not different between patient and control groups (p=0.074). Among all 24 population, PAR-2 mRNA assessment was performed in 19 persons (patient group, 10; control group, 9). The mRNA expression of PAR-2 was not significant different (p=0.633). Conclusion: In IPF patients, PAR-2 receptor and mRNA expression were not different from control group.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.3 s.31
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• pp.262-273
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• 1990

In order to assess the method which is more sensitive one to detect the early change of lung tissue by the inhaled dust, we have performed the various medical examinations such as chest radiography, pulmonary function test, high resolution chest CT, brnchoalveolar lavage and lung biopsy used bronchoscope and ultrathin bronchoscopy examination to 48 persons. The control group were 8 persons who did not exposed to dust, 40 cases of the experimental group have professionally exposed to the mineral dust. The results were as follows 1. The total number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage was significantly increased in all of the pneumoconiosis group classified by chest and high resolution chest CT. 2. The composition rate of macrophage to the total number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly decreased in all of the pneumoconiosis group compared with the control group. 3. The composition rate of neutophils and lymphocytes to the total number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly increased in all of the pneumoconiosis group compared with the control group. 4. The forced expiratory volume in one second ($FEV_{1-0}$), maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMF), and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) were significantly increased only in the group of the progressed pneumoconiosis relatively. 5. We observed submucosal edema, anthracotic pigmentation and granuloma formation in transbronchial lung biopsy of the suspected pneumoconiosis (category 0/1) case which is thought to the early change of coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2010

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a useful tool in researches and in clinical medicine of lung diseases because the BAL fluid contains biochemical and cytological indicators of the cellular response to infection, drugs, or toxicants. However, the variability among laboratories regarding the technique and the processing of the BAL material limits clinical research. The aim of this study was to determine the suction frequency and lavage fraction number necessary to reduce the variability in lavage using male Sprague-Dawley rats. We compared the total cell number and protein level of each lavage fraction and concluded that more cells and protein can be obtained by repetitive lavage with a suction frequency of 2 or 3 than by lavage with a single suction. On the basis of total cell recovery, approximately 70% of cells were obtained from fractions 1~3. The first lavage fraction should be used for evaluation of protein concentration because fractions 2~5 of lavage fluid were diluted in manifolds. These observations were confirmed in bleomycin-induced inflamed lungs of rats. We further compared the BAL data from the whole lobes with data from the right lobes and concluded that BAL data of the right lobes represented data of the whole lobes. However, this conclusion can only be applied to general lung diseases. At the end, this study provides an insight into the technical or analytical problems of lavage study in vivo.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 1991

Bronchoalveolar lavage had been done as the treatment of some diseases such as alveolar proteinsois, bronchiectasis, and severe asthma to remove excessive secretion or mucus. But in the recent decade it has been done as a diagnostic method and a tool to understand and evaluate the pathophysiology of diffuse interstitial lung diseases such as sarcoidosis, pneumoconiosis and hypersensitivity pneumonitis. To analyse the bronchoalveolar fluid, it might be useful to have a standard reference (especially cell counts and differetial count of the cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid) of normal person. But it is difficult to study the normal volunteers. We investgated the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of 48 patients (28 nonsmokers, 20 smokers) who visited Severance Hospital because of minor pulmonary symptoms such as cough and sputum. They did neither complain of dyspnea nor cyanosis, and had normal or unilateral minor lesion on physical examination and chest X-ray. We analysed the recovery rate, viability, total cell count and differential count of the cells in fluid obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage. The following results were obtained: 1) Age ranged from 17 to 72 years-old with the mean age of 36.7; there was no difference of age between the nonsmoker and the smoker gorup. Male to female ratio was 2.43:1 for total group, 1.15:1 for nonsmokers, and 19:1 for smokers. 2) The diagnoses of the patients were undetermined in 41.9%, healed pulmonary tuberculosis in 37.5%, laryngitis or pharyngitis in 10.4% and others in 10.4%. 3) Total cell number of the recovered fluid by bronchoalveolar lavage was significantly higher in male[$9.6{\pm}6.2({\times}10^6)$] than in female[$5.1{\pm}3.0({\times}10^6)$](p<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the total cell number between the smokers and nonsmokers [$9.3{\pm}5.8({\times}10^6)$ vs $7.5{\pm}5.8({\times}10^6)$]. 4) The differential count of the cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid had no difference between the nonsmokers and the smokers. 5) There was no correlation between the total cell count and smoking or age. 6) In the smoker group, there was no correlation between the amount of smoking and the total cell count of the bronchoalveolar fluid. In conclusion, it should be careful to regard the patients with symptoms or minor radiologic abnormalities as a control group in bronchoalveolar lavage study and further study of cell analysis in bronchoalveolar lavage will be needed between smoker and nonsmoker in the male and female healthy people.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 1999

This investigation is to determine whether the surface complexation of iron influence acute pulmonary responses induced by silica. For this study, three varieties of cation complexed silica were used: $silica-H^+,\;-Zn^{2+},\;and\;-Fe^{3+},$ since the first two are not active in the transport of electrons and generate little free radicals relative to the dust with the surface iron. Rats (270 to 280 g) were intratracheally (IT) instilled with saline, $silica-H^+,\;-Zn^{2+},\;or\;-Fe^{3+}$(5 mg in 0.5 ml saline). After 4 h, cell number, type, and differentiation were analysed in the bronchoalveolar lavage cells, and the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and total protein were determined in the lavage fluid. In addition, bronchoalveolar lavage cells were cultured, and nitric oxide production was measured using nitrate assay. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in the bronchoalveolar lavage cells was also determined by northern blot analysis. Differential counts of the lavage cells showed that red blood cells were increased by 9-, 8-, and 13-fold and total leukocytes (lymphocytes plus polymorphonuclear neutrophils) by 48-, 36-, and 33-fold, following IT $silica-H^+,\;-Zn^{2+},\;and\;-Fe^{3+},$ respectively compared with the saline group. Meanwhile, there were no significant differences in red blood cells and total leukocytes among any of the cation complexed silica groups. The levels of LDH and total protein in the lavage fluid were significantly increased by 3- to 4-fold. However, compared among these silica groups, $Fe^{3+}$? complexation did not significantly change the LDH activity and total protein. NO production in cultured bronchoalveolar lavage cells was elevated by 2-fold, following IT any of the silica treatments compared with the saline group. Furthermore, the steady-state levels of iNOS mRNA in the lavage cells were greatly increased. There were any differences in iNOS mRNA expression among the silica-treated groups as with NO production. These findings suggest that surface complexed iron may not influence the acute pulmonary responses resulted from 4h exposure to silica.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 1990

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has emerged as a useful technique for the study of pulmonary interstitial disorders. Several types of Information are provided by the evaluation of lavage fluid identification of cellular constituents helps to separate inflammatory process. Recently we have studied cellular constituents of BAL from three cases with histologically confirmed pulmonary sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and hypereosinophilic syndrome. Pulmonary sarcoidosis showed a marked increase in lymphocytes, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis revealed a predominance of neutrophils, and hypereosinophilic syndrome presented a marked increase in eosinophils in the lavage fluids.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.130-136
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• 2014

Objectives: To evaluate the pulmonary toxicity of Korean Chrysotile(KC), the lung function and the number of fibers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of Sprague-Dawley rats instilled with KC were estimated. Materials: Rats were administered 1 mg KC by a single intratracheal instillation. At each time point(5 days, 5 weeks, 10 weeks), the lung function of the rats was analyzed by pressure transducer and the amount of asbestos in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the rats was calculated by transmission electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Results: The lung function of the rats at 5 days after instillation of KC was confirmed to be degraded. However, after 5 weeks the test groups showed a tendency to recover lung function. Still, after 10 weeks the lung function of the test groups had not recovered completely. The number of fibers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the rats instilled with KC rapidly decreased. At 5 weeks the number of fibers had reduced to approximately 1/2 of that found at 5 days. Over time, at 10 weeks it had rapidly decreased to 1/100 that found at 5 days. Conclusions: Korean chrysotile fibers rapidly decreased in the lungs of rats, but the lung function of rats instilled KC does had not completely recovered by 10 weeks.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.89-93
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• 2011

Asthma is an inflammatory airway disease and is characterized by the releases of inflammatory mediators including chemokines. They are mainly associated with the recruitment, activation and dysregulation of specific inflammatory cells, especially neutrophils in neutrophilic asthma. CC chemokines bind to CC chemokine receptors (CCRs) in the surface of their target cells. The aims of this study are to examine the CCR expression in neutrophils of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of asthmatic patients and to determine the alternation of migration and apoptosis of neutrophils by the BALF. We demonstrate that CCR3 strongly expresses in BALF neutrophils of asthmatic patients as compared to other CCRs and increases during apoptosis of the BALF neutrophils. The migration of asthmatic blood neutrophils increases in response to asthmatic BALF as compared to BALF of normal volunteer. In addition, asthmatic BALF includes the higher levels of IL-8 protein than normal BALF and it has no effect on apoptosis of asthmatic blood neutrophils. Taken together, our results indicate that CCR3 expression may be associated with unknown function of asthmatic BALF neutrophils and BALF may be involved in the recruitment of neutrophils into the airway, but not in the neutrophils apoptosis.