title: The role of nitric oxide in lung innate immunity: modulation by surfactant protein-A.
abstract: Surfactant protein A (SP-A) and alveolar macrophages are essential components of lung innate immunity. Alveolar macrophages phagocytose and kill pathogens by the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In particular, peroxynitrite, the reaction product of superoxide and nitric oxide, appears to have potent antimicrobial effects. SP-A stimulates alveolar macrophages to phagocytose and kill pathogens and is important in host defense. However, SP-A has diverse effects on both innate and adaptive immunity, and may stimulate or inhibit immune function. SP-A appears to mediate toxic or protective effects depending on the immune status of the lung. In contrast to mouse or rat cells, it has been difficult to demonstrate nitric oxide production by human macrophages. We have recently demonstrated that human macrophages produce nitric oxide and use it to kill Klebsiella pneumoniae. SP-A either stimulates or inhibits this process, depending on the activation state of the macrophage. Given its diverse effects on immune function, SP-A may prove to be an effective therapy for both infectious and inflammatory diseases of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: Judy M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hickman-Davis
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McArdle
authors.forename: K Randall
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Sadis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matalon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000472:pathogenicity; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D026361:Reactive Nitrogen Species; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide