{"@type": "dcat:Dataset", "accessLevel": "public", "bureauCode": ["009:25"], "contactPoint": {"@type": "vcard:Contact", "fn": "NIH", "hasEmail": "mailto:info@nih.gov"}, "description": "Background\n          Previous studies have revealed that tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-\u03b1 is upregulated in fibrosing alveolitis (FA) in humans. The aim of this study was to compare the TNF-\u03b1 secretory profile of alveolar macrophages (AMs) and peripheral blood monocytes (Mos) of patients with cryptogenic FA and systemic sclerosis (SSc), a rheumatological disorder in which lung fibrosis can occur. In particular, we wished to assess whether TNF-\u03b1 levels differ between SSc patients with FA (FASSc) and a nonfibrotic group.\n        \n        \n          Methods\n          The reverse haemolytic plaque assay was used to evaluate the secretion of cytokine at a single cell level while immunostaining allowed subtyping of AMs and Mos.\n        \n        \n          Results\n          This study demonstrated a difference in total TNF-\u03b1 levels produced by AMs when the levels in subjects with FA (cryptogenic FA and FASSc) were compared to levels in either SSc patients without FA (P = 0.0002) or normal healthy controls (P < 0.001). In addition, AMs from patients with FASSc secreted more TNF-\u03b1 than those of patients with no FA (P = 0.003). In contrast, there were no significant differences in Mo TNF-\u03b1 secretion between the groups. A positive correlation was found between total TNF-\u03b1 level and number of neutrophils obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from patients with FA (r = 0.49, P < 0.04). Finally, it was demonstrated that there was significant heterogeneity of TNF-\u03b1 secretion and that a numerically significant subset of mononuclear phagocytes, RFD7, was responsible for more than 80% of TNF-\u03b1 production.\n        \n        \n          Conclusion\n          By demonstrating the primary cell source of TNF-\u03b1 in FASSc, more accurately targeted, possibly localized, anti-TNF strategies might be employed with success in the future.", "distribution": [{"@type": "dcat:Distribution", "description": "Visit the original government dataset for complete information, documentation, and data access.", "downloadURL": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC64804/", "mediaType": "text/html", "title": "Official Government Data Source"}], "identifier": "https://healthdata.gov/api/views/mxvx-rzhv", "issued": "2025-07-14", "keyword": ["fibrosing-alveolitis", "macrophage-subsets", "nih", "systemic-sclerosis", "tnf-alpha"], "landingPage": "https://healthdata.gov/d/mxvx-rzhv", "modified": "2025-09-06", "programCode": ["009:035"], "publisher": {"@type": "org:Organization", "name": "National Institutes of Health"}, "theme": ["NIH"], "title": "Tumour necrosis factor-\u03b1 production in fibrosing alveolitis is macrophage subset specific"}