title: Surfactant proteins A and D in pregnancy and parturition.
abstract: Surfactant proteins A and D have extra-pulmonary expression at various mucosal sites including the reproductive tract. Reproductive tissues require a fine immune balance, strong enough to keep infection at a bay and at the same time, subtle enough to support an allogeneic fetus throughout the pregnancy. Roles of SP-A and SP-D have been studied in depth and include immunoregulatory function, besides strengthening the innate immune system against various pathogens in the lungs. Interestingly, levels of SP-A and SP-D in the amniotic fluid increase progressively in pregnancy. SP-A has been implicated in the induction of parturition. The present review elaborates the plausible roles of SP-A and SP-D in pregnancy maintenance and future applications.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Ajit Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Taruna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madan
authors.forename: Andres Lopez
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bernal
mesh_terms: D056704:Adaptive Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D000650:Amnion / Q000378:metabolism; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases / Q000378:metabolism; D036801:Parturition / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D; D020782:Matrix Metalloproteinases