title: Surfactant protein A activates NF-kappa B in the THP-1 monocytic cell line.
abstract: The expression of many genes for which products are involved in inflammation is controlled by the transcriptional regulator nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B. Because surfactant protein (SP) A is involved in local host defense in the lung and alters immune cell function by modulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines as well as surface proteins involved in inflammation, we hypothesized that SP-A exerts its action, at least in part, via activation of NF-kappa B. We used gel shift assays to determine whether SP-A activated NF-kappa B in the THP-1 cell line, a human monocytic cell line. Activation of NF-kappa B in THP-1 cells by SP-A doses as low as 1 microgram/ml occurred within 30 min of SP-A treatment, peaked at 60 min, and then declined. This activation is inhibited by known inhibitors of NF-kappa B or by simultaneous treatment of the cells with surfactant lipids. Moreover, the NF-kappa B inhibitors blocked SP-A-dependent increases in tumor necrosis factor-alpha mRNA levels. These observations suggest a mechanism by which SP-A plays a role in the pathogenesis of some lung conditions and point to potential therapeutic measures that could be used to prevent SP-A induced inflammation in the lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey 17033, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koptides
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Umstead
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Floros
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Phelps
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004586:Electrophoresis; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011510:Proteolipids; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037661:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Proteins; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C072197:beractant