Pulmonary surfactant proteins and polymer combinations reduce surfactant inhibition by serum.

Abstract

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory condition that can be associated with capillary leak of serum into alveoli causing inactivation of surfactant. Resistance to inactivation is affected by types and concentrations of surfactant proteins, lipids, and polymers. Our aim was to investigate the effects of different combinations of these three components. A simple lipid mixture (DPPC/POPG) or a more complex lipid mixture (DPPC/POPC/POPG/cholesterol) was used. Native surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C obtained from pig lung lavage were added either singly or combined at two concentrations. Also, non-ionic polymers polyethylene glycol and dextran and the anionic polymer hyaluronan were added either singly or in pairs with hyaluronan included. Non-ionic polymers work by different mechanisms than anionic polymers, thus the purpose of placing them together in the same surfactant mixture was to evaluate if the combination would show enhanced beneficial effects. The resulting surfactant mixtures were studied in the presence or absence of serum. A modified bubble surfactometer was used to evaluate surface activities. Mixtures that included both SP-B and SP-C plus hyaluronan and either dextran or polyethylene glycol were found to be the most resistant to inhibition by serum. These mixtures, as well as some with either SP-B or SP-C with combined polymers were as or more resistant to inactivation than native surfactant. These results suggest that improved formulations of lung surfactants are possible and may be useful in reducing some types of surfactant inactivation in treating lung injuries.

• Authors: Karen W Lu, Jesús Pérez-Gil, Mercedes Echaide, H William Taeusch
• Journal: Biochimica et biophysica acta (Biochim Biophys Acta) Vol. 1808 Issue 10 Pg. 2366-73 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 0006-3002 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 21741354 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Biopolymers
• Pulmonary Surfactants

Topics

• Biopolymers (metabolism)
• Lipid Metabolism
• Pulmonary Surfactants (antagonists & inhibitors, metabolism)
• Serum
• Surface Tension