Chemokines are important cytokines in the pathogenesis of interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is characterized by al-veolar and interstitial inflammation, followed by theprogressive derangement of alveolar architecture anddeposition of extracellular matrix components. The dis-ease is initiated by an unknown alveolar insult, whichis followed by the influx of inflammatory cells to thelung. This recruitment phase results in a several foldincrease in all cell types within the airspace, includingneutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes and macropha-ges. In addition, substantial interstitial inflammation isapparent, consisting predominantly of newly recruitedmonocytes and lymphocytes. Alveolar and interstitialinflammation is followed by the loss of type I epithe-lial cells and endothelial cells, proliferation of type IIcells, and expansion of the pulmonary interstitium