Macrophage Activation by Immune Complex in Pigeon Fancier's Lung

Pigeon fancier's lung (PFL) is a form of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (hypersensitivity pneumonitis) the pathogenesisof the disease is throught to be caused by the deposition of immune complexes in the alveoli. Although this is generally agreed in the bionic pathogenesis of disease it is difficult to understand why a large proportion of people withhigh titres of antibody do not get disease. Allergen avoidance to pigeon is the best therapy for Pigeon fancier's lung(PFL). However, allergen avoidance is not possible because of occupational exposure, immunotherapy may be thetreatment of choice in cases of pigeon allergy. In this study we firstly showed the optimal concentration of LPS andthe optimum time for activation was 10μ/ml for 24 hours after stimulated the cells by PMA for 72 hours. Immunecomplexes were generated with mucin, fresh pigeon droppings (PDF), old pigeon droppings (PDO), and patentssera. Immune complexes with PDF and PDO activated macrophages to produce TNFα. However immune complexwith mucin did not activate macrophages. There was difference in the ability of immune complexes from symptomatic and asymptomatic individual to activate macrophage.