Differential cellular analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained at various stages during the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rat

The purpose of this study was to analyze the cellular components of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid throughout the development of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in the rat. Animals were killed and lavaged at various times after the administration of a single intratracheal injection of bleomycin. The results demonstrate that a significant influx of inflammatory cells appear in the lavage fluid as early as Day 1 after bleomycin treatment. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are the first cells to appear and significant concentrations persist for as long as 1 month after bleomycin treatment. There is a very transient yet significant influx of eosinophils on Day 7 after bleomycin treatment. Lymphocytes are present from 3 to 14 days after bleomycin treatment; greater than 97% are T-cells and less than 3% are B-cells. There is a 1:1 ratio of W3/25+ cells (helper cell activity) to OX8+ cells (suppressor cell activity) comprising the lymphocyte population. The blood and lymphoid tissue of these animals contain a normal 2:1 ratio of these subsets. The data demonstrate that specific T-cell populations are present in the air spaces of the lung in response to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in this model.