Il procollageno III nella valutazione della fibrogenesi nelle pneumopatie interstiziali

Serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid P111p (N-terminai
peptide of type 111 procollagen) was quantified in 4 groups of
subjects affected by interstitial pulmonary disease; cryptogenic
pulmonary fibrosis; pulmonary sarcoidosis and
healthy subjects.
Only in subjects with pulmonary sarcoidosis a significative
correlation between P111p concentration in BAL and some .
indices of progression of the disease (lymphocyte percentage
in BAL, local lgGfalbumin ratio) was found. These data
suggest that P111p concentration in BAL can be regarded as a
useful parameter for monitoring the degree of alveolitis, reflecting
an altered local synthesis of collagen.