[The pulmonary expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and surfactant protein in adult idiopathic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), GM-CSF/IL-3/IL-5 receptor common beta chain (GM-CSFbetacR), surfactant protein (SP)-A and SP-D in adult patients with idiopathic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), so as to demonstrate the possible association of GM-CSF, GM-CSFbetacR, SP-A and SP-D with human PAP.


METHODS
The protein expression of GM-CSF, GM-CSFbetacR, SP-A and SP-D in the alveolar macrophages and alveolar type II epithelial cells was detected by immunohistochemical staining.


RESULTS
The age was 51.8 +/- 9.5 years old for patients with idiopathic PAP (6; males 4, females 2) and 48.8 +/- 12.6 years old for the control adult individuals (6; males 4, females 2). There was no difference in the expression of GM-CSF (P = 0.818) and SP-D (P = 0.24) in alveolar macrophages between patients with idiopathic PAP and the controls. The expression of GM-CSFbetacR (P = 0.002) and SP-A (P = 0.004) in alveolar macrophages of patients with idiopathic PAP was less than that in the controls. There was no expression of GM-CSF in alveolar type II epithelial cells of patients with idiopathic PAP and the controls. There was a little expression of GM-CSFbetacR in alveolar type II epithelial cells of the controls. There was no expression of GM-CSFbetacR in alveolar type II epithelial cells of patients with idiopathic PAP. There was no difference in the expression of SP-A (P = 0.818) and SP-D (P = 0.485) in alveolar type II epithelial cells between patients with idiopathic PAP and the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The decreased protein expression of GM-CSFbetacR in alveolar macrophages may be one of the mechanisms causing dysfunction of the macrophages in adult patients with idiopathic PAP.
Zhou
Xian-mei
XM
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing 210008, China. xianmeizhou@yahoo.com.cn
Bai
Jiu-wu
JW
Cai
Hou-rong
HR
Wu
Hong-yan
HY
Chen
Jun
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D053648:Cytokine Receptor Common beta Subunit; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016676:Macrophages, Alveolar / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011649:Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism
C115876:CSF2RB protein, human; D053648:Cytokine Receptor Common beta Subunit; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor