We investigated the pulmonary iNKT cells in 47 corticosteroid-naive patients with sarcoidosis and in 8 control subjects. We used multi-parameter flow cytometry on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. The frequencies of iNKT cells were significantly lower in patients with sarcoidosis in comparison to control subjects. Moreover, lower invariant NKT cell frequencies in patients with sarcoidosis significantly correlated with exaggerated BALF lymphocytosis and CD4 T cell response.
COBISS.SI-ID: 26317273