title: Phospholipase A2 in meconium-induced lung injury.
abstract: Although the triggering mechanisms of tissue inflammation and injury in meconium-contaminated lungs are still unclear, there is increasing evidence to suggest a central role for phospholipase A(2)'s (PLA(2)). In fact, elevated PLA(2) activities together with high enzyme concentrations, especially the amount of pancreatic (group I) secretory PLA(2) (PLA(2)-I), have been detected in human meconium and in meconium-contaminated lungs. Recent data from our laboratory further indicate that human pancreatic PLA(2), introduced in high amounts within aspirated particulate meconium, is a potent inducer of lung tissue inflammatory injury. Our finding of elevated human PLA(2)-I concentrations in plasma during the first hours after intratracheal meconium administration in newborn piglets further suggests that intrapulmonary aspiration of meconium could also have systemic inflammatory and injurious effects. This, however, remains to be studied in further detail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. pekka.kaapa@utu.fi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kääpä
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Soukka
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008470:Meconium; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D054467:Phospholipases A2