C Casals, A Varela, ML Ruano, F Valino, J Perez-Gil, N Torre, E Jorge, F Tendillo and JL Castillo-Olivares
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.

In this study, we asked whether the serum acute-phase protein C- reactive protein (CRP) increased in large surfactant aggregates after lung transplantation and analyzed the changes in composition and interfacial adsorption activity of those aggregates. Single left lung transplantation was performed in weight-matched pairs of dogs. A double- lung block from the donor animal was flushed with either modified Euro- Collins solution (EC) (n = 6) or University of Wisconsin solution (UW) (n = 6) at 4 degrees C followed by immersion in cold EC or UW for 22 h. The left donor lung was transplanted. The recipient dog was then reperfused for 4.5 h. Irrespective of the preservation fluid, gas exchanged was impaired in the transplanted lung after 4.5 h of reperfusion. Large surfactant aggregates obtained from this lung showed reduced ability to rapidly adsorb to an air-liquid interface. Phospholipid (PL) content and PL composition of surfactant from lung transplants was similar to that of the control lungs. However, the content of surfactant protein A decreased after reperfusion. In addition, Western blot analyses showed that levels of CRP increased in surfactant from transplanted but not from donor lungs. The addition of human CRP to control surfactant (CRP:PL weight ratio, 0.01:1) caused a decrease of surfactant adsorption. We conclude that the impairment of adsorption facilities of surfactant from transplanted lungs may be correlated with decreased levels of surfactant protein A and increased levels of CRP. The presence of elevated levels of CRP in bronchoalveolar lavage could be a very sensitive marker of lung injury.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Nag, K. Rodriguez-Capote, A. K. Panda, L. Frederick, S. A. Hearn, N. O. Petersen, S. Schurch, and F. Possmayer Disparate effects of two phosphatidylcholine binding proteins, C-reactive protein and surfactant protein A, on pulmonary surfactant structure and function Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, December 1, 2004; 287(6): L1145 - L1153. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Casals, J. Arias-Diaz, F. Valino, A. Saenz, C. Garcia, J. L. Balibrea, and E. Vara Surfactant strengthens the inhibitory effect of C-reactive protein on human lung macrophage cytokine release Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, March 1, 2003; 284(3): L466 - L472. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. de Perrot, M. Liu, T. K. Waddell, and S. Keshavjee Ischemia-Reperfusion-induced Lung Injury Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., February 15, 2003; 167(4): 490 - 511. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Yang, C. Milla, A. Panoskaltsis-Mortari, D. H. Ingbar, B. R. Blazar, and I. Y. Haddad Human Surfactant Protein A Suppresses T Cell-Dependent Inflammation and Attenuates the Manifestations of Idiopathic Pneumonia Syndrome in Mice Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., May 1, 2001; 24(5): 527 - 536. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. OCHS, I. NENADIC, A. FEHRENBACH, J. M. ALBES, T. WAHLERS, J. RICHTER, and H. FEHRENBACH Ultrastructural Alterations in Intraalveolar Surfactant Subtypes after Experimental Ischemia and Reperfusion Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 1999; 160(2): 718 - 724. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. L. F. Ruano, J. Perez-Gil, and C. Casals Effect of Acidic pH on the Structure and Lipid Binding Properties of Porcine Surfactant Protein A. POTENTIAL ROLE OF ACIDIFICATION ALONG ITS EXOCYTIC PATHWAY J. Biol. Chem., June 12, 1998; 273(24): 15183 - 15191. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]