Correlation of tuberculin-induced lymphocyte transformation with skin test reactivity and with clinical manifestations of sarcoidosis

In vitro lymphocyte reactivity to tuberculin (PPD) was studied in buffy coat cultures from 87 patients with sarcoidosis and from 64 controls. A strong correlation was found between PPD-induced lymphocyte transformation and skin reactivity. No significant differences were found in the in vitro response of lymphocytes from skin test positive patients with sarcoidosis and from controls with the same degree of skin test reactivity. In patients with sarcoidosis negative to 100 TU, tuberculin sensitivity could be demonstrated in vitro significantly more often than in comparison subjects. Both in vivo and in vitro tuberculin sensitivity and “spontaneous” transformation were significantly more frequent in patients with erythema nodosum.