Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0032273 (pneumoconiosis)
 1,578 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Aluminium potroom workers have been reported to develop severe pneumoconiosis and bronchial hyperreactivity. The influence of inhalation of aluminium oxide and fluorides on the alveolar milieu was studied by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in 14 male non-smoking potroom workers; 28 non-smoking healthy volunteers served as controls. The total numbers, concentrations, and proportions of various alveolar cells did not differ between the groups. The concentrations of albumin and fibronectin in BAL fluid were significantly higher (p less than 0.01 for both) in the exposed workers, reflecting an increased alveolar capillary permeability and an activation of alveolar macrophages (AMs). The concentration of angiotensin converting enzyme, another AM marker, was, however, decreased (p less than 0.01) in the workers. The concentration of hyaluronan, a fibroblast marker, did not differ between the groups. AMs from workers had a decreased capacity (p less than 0.05) to interact with yeast C3b particles but not to ingest them. The expression of HLA-DR and OKM1 on the cell surfaces of AMs were equal in the two groups. The BAL findings were not accompanied by restrictive lung disease in the workers. The fact that only a discrete alveolitis was found in the potroom workers may be due to a low grade of exposure to alumina and fluorides and to frequent use of respiratory protection equipment.
 ...
PMID:Characteristics of alveolar cells and soluble components in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from non-smoking aluminium potroom workers. 255 78

To study the local distribution of lymphocyte subsets in inorganic dust diseases, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed in seven patients with asbestosis, and in 13 patients with mixed dust pneumoconiosis (anthracosidero-silicosis). Lymphocyte subsets in BAL and blood were determined by the monoclonal antibodies OKT3 (pan T), OKT4 (helper/inducer), OKT8 (suppressor/cytotoxic), B1 (B-cells), OKIa (HLA-DR antigens), and Leu-7 (natural killer). The BAL lymphocytes were moderately elevated to 15 +/- 8 percent (mean +/- SD) in mixed dust pneumoconiosis, and even more markedly increased to 28 +/- 21 percent in asbestosis. The OKT4/OKT8 ratio in BAL was significantly increased to 4.5 +/- 2.1 in asbestosis, and significantly reduced to 0.9 +/- 0.8 in mixed dust pneumoconiosis. In blood, the ratio of T-cell subsets remained unchanged, though total lymphocytes were decreased in asbestosis. These results suggest altered cellular immune processes in the lungs of patients with pneumoconiosis and may indicate different immunoregulatory changes depending on the nature of the inhaled dust.
 ...
PMID:Lung and blood lymphocyte subsets in asbestosis and in mixed dust pneumoconiosis. 379 62

Seventy-nine cases of Caplan's lung were typed for HLA-A and B antigens. The antigen Bw45 was present only in those patients with rheumatoid factor and was of significantly higher frequency (13.6%) when compared to a non-coal dust exposed population of 316 (1.0%). Those patients without rheumatoid factor showed an increase in HLA-A1 and B8 (58.6% and 51.7% respectively) when compared to the rheumatoid factor positive group (29.6% and 25.0% respectively). Clinical and radiological reassessment were performed on 49 of these patients who were also typed for HLA-DR antigens and properdin factor B allotypes. HLA-DR4 was raised in the rheumatoid factor positive group with rheumatoid arthritis (55.2% compared to 25.8% in the non-coal dust exposed group and 37.3% in coalworkers with normal radiographs). The HLA-DR results are comparable to those found in other studies of rheumatoid arthritis not associated with pneumoconiosis. The findings for HLA-A1, B8 and DR4, however, were not significant after correction was made for the number of antigens tested for. No particular Bf allotype was found to be associated with either the lung change or the arthritis. The induction of the pulmonary lesion in Caplan's syndrome is discussed in relation to the HLA findings.
 ...
PMID:HLA-A, B and DR antigens and properdin factor B allotypes in Caplan's syndrome. 657 7