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Review
. 2003 May;111(10):1453-5.
doi: 10.1172/JCI18650.

Pulmonary surfactant: a front line of lung host defense

Jo Rae Wright  1
Affiliations
Review

Pulmonary surfactant: a front line of lung host defense

Jo Rae Wright. J Clin Invest. 2003 May.
No abstract available

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SP-A and SP-D are members of the collectin family of oligomeric proteins, which have collagen-like N-terminal regions and C-type carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs). The CRDs bind carbohydrates such as those found on pathogen surfaces. SP-A consists of 6 structural units, which are assembled into a “flower bouquet” formation. SP-D consists of the tetrameric structural units assembled into an X-like structure. Figure adapted from an online article by N. Kawasaki that appears on Glycoforum(http://www.glycoforum.gr.jp/science/word/lectin/LEA06E.html).
Figure 2
Figure 2
SP-A and SP-D enhance bacterial clearance and inhibit bacterial growth. SP-A and SP-D are oligomeric proteins synthesized by type II pulmonary epithelial cells and secreted in the liquid that covers the lung epithelium. Both SP-A and SP-D opsonize pathogens and enhance their phagocytosis by innate immune cells such as alveolar macrophages and neutrophils. In this issue of the JCI, Wu and coworkers provide compelling evidence that SP-A and SP-D also are directly bactericidal (1); they damage the bacterial cell membrane and inhibit bacterial growth. Thus, SP-A and SP-D enhance bacterial clearance via enhancing phagocytosis and via direct antimicrobial effects on bacteria. Images are not to scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment on

References

    1. Wu H, et al. Surfactant proteins A and D inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria by increasing membrane permeability. J. Clin. Invest. 2003;111:1589–1602. doi:10.1172/JCI200316889. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Goerke J. Pulmonary surfactant: functions and molecular composition. . Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1998; 1408:79–89. - PubMed
    1. Whitsett JA, Nogee LM, Weaver TE, Horowitz AD. Human surfactant protein B: structure, function, regulation, and genetic disease. Physiol. Rev. 1995;75:749–757. - PubMed
    1. Wright JR. Immunomodulatory functions of surfactant. Physiol. Rev. 1997;77:931–962. - PubMed
    1. Crouch E, Wright JR. Surfactant proteins A and D and pulmonary host defense. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 2001;63:521–554. - PubMed

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