title: Heparin and fibroblast growth factors affect surfactant protein gene expression in type II cells.
abstract: The stimulation and maintenance of the pulmonary alveolar type II cell's capacity to biosynthesize, store, and secrete surfactant proteins (SPs) are modulated to a great extent by growth factors, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and hormones. It is possible that differences in ECM composition, as exist between type I and II cells normally or as might occur with excessive cell surface shedding during inflammation or injury states, may specifically alter SP expression. Here, isolated type II cells were exposed to the model sulfated ECM heparin; desulfated heparin; and/or fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1, -2, or -7 for 24 h to examine by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction their effects on SP gene expression. Aquaporin 5 (AQP-5) gene expression was also examined as a phenotypic marker for the type I cell. SP-B mRNA abundance was increased 4- to 8-fold by all three FGFs. Heparin at low concentrations (5 microg/ml) or desulfated heparin at high concentrations (500 microg/ml) enhanced the effects of FGF-2 and -7, while high heparin concentrations (500 microg/ml) were inhibitory. In contrast, SP-B mRNA abundance was increased by heparin in a dose- and sulfation-dependent manner when used in combination with FGF-1. SP-C and AQP-5 mRNA levels were increased by heparin alone in a dose- and sulfation-dependent manner, while all FGFs lacked effect on SP-C or AQP-5 mRNA levels. These data indicate that heparin can be stimulatory to SP gene expression depending on concentration, degree of sulfation, and surrounding FGF environment, and that heparin plays a significant role in modulating alveolar epithelial cell phenotype in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Leiner
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Cheng-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khosla
authors.forename: Philip L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sannes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051402:Aquaporin 5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D037701:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496040:Aqp5 protein, rat; D051402:Aquaporin 5; D010455:Peptides; D037701:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D013431:Sulfates; C077063:Sftpc protein, rat; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D006493:Heparin