title: The C/A(-18) polymorphism in the surfactant protein B gene influences transcription and protein levels of surfactant protein B.
abstract: Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is an essential component of surfactant that promotes adsorption and spreading of surfactant phospholipids and stabilizes the phospholipid monolayer. SP-B is essential for respiratory function in newborn humans and mice; adult mice with levels of SP-B below 25% of wild-type develop fatal respiratory distress syndrome. A potential regulatory function of the C/A(-18) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the SP-B gene was examined. Transcriptional analysis and ELISA on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid revealed that the presence of the C allele correlated with more SP-B promoter activity and protein. There was approximately threefold difference in amounts of SP-B in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from CA(-18) and AA(-18) individuals. By EMSA, Sp1 bound more tightly to the C allele sequence than to the A allele sequence, perhaps accounting for the differences in transcription. Genotyping of a normal volunteer population showed approximately 31% of the population were AA homozygotes, suggesting that these individuals produce less SP-B. Differences in amounts of SP-B resulting from the promoter SNP could affect the clinical presentation of pulmonary disease.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 10, Rm. 6D03, MSC 1590, Bethesda, MD 20892-1590, USA.
authors.forename: Wendy K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Steagall
authors.forename: Jing-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003596:Cytosine; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D037701:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D037701:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; D003596:Cytosine; D008156:Luciferases; D000225:Adenine