title: Surfactant palmitoylmyristoylphosphatidylcholine is a marker for alveolar size during disease.
abstract: Two common lung-related complications in the neonate are respiratory distress syndrome, which is associated with a failure to generate low surface tension at the air-liquid interface because of pulmonary surfactant insufficiency, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung injury with reduced alveolarization. Surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecular species composition during alveolarization has not been examined. Mass spectrometry analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of rodents and humans revealed significant changes in surfactant PC during alveolar development and BPD. In rats, total PC content rose during alveolarization, which was caused by an increase in palmitoylmyristoyl-PC (16:0/14:0PC) concentration. Furthermore, two animal models of BPD exhibited a specific reduction in 16:0/14:0PC content. In humans, 16:0/14:0PC content was specifically decreased in patients with BPD and emphysema compared with patients without alveolar pathology. Palmitoylmyristoyl-PC content increased with increasing intrinsic surfactant curvature, suggesting that it affects surfactant function in the septating lung. The changes in acyl composition of PC were attributed to type II cells producing an altered surfactant during alveolar development. These data are compatible with extracellular surfactant 16:0/14:0PC content being an indicator of alveolar architecture of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Lung Biology Program, Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ridsdale
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roth-Kleiner
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Ovidio
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Shaf
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keshavjee
authors.forename: A Keith
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tanswell
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009929:Organ Size; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants