title: Surfactant proteins, SP-A and SP-D, in respiratory fungal infections: their role in the inflammatory response.
abstract: Pulmonary surfactant is a complex fluid that comprises phospholipids and four proteins (SP-A, SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D) with different biological functions. SP-B, SP-C, and SP-D are essential for the lungs' surface tension function and for the organization, stability and metabolism of lung parenchyma. SP-A and SP-D, which are also known as pulmonary collectins, have an important function in the host's lung immune response; they act as opsonins for different pathogens via a C-terminal carbohydrate recognition domain and enhance the attachment to phagocytic cells or show their own microbicidal activity by increasing the cellular membrane permeability. Interactions between the pulmonary collectins and bacteria or viruses have been extensively studied, but this is not the same for fungal pathogens. SP-A and SP-D bind glucan and mannose residues from fungal cell wall, but there is still a lack of information on their binding to other fungal carbohydrate residues. In addition, both their relation with immune cells for the clearance of these pathogens and the role of surfactant proteins' regulation during respiratory fungal infections remain unknown. Here we highlight the relevant findings associated with SP-A and SP-D in those respiratory mycoses where the fungal infective propagules reach the lungs by the airways.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología de Hongos, Unidad de Micología, Departamento de Microbiología-Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); Circuito Interior, Ciudad Universitaria, Av. Universidad 3000, México, D.F., 04510, Mexico.
authors.forename: Laura Elena
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Carreto-Binaghi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Biologie et Diversité des Pathogènes Eucaryotes Emergents, CIIL Institut Pasteur de Lille, Bâtiment Guérin, 1 rue du Professeur Calmette, Lille, France.
authors.forename: El Moukhtar
authors.initials: el M
authors.lastname: Aliouat
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunología de Hongos, Unidad de Micología, Departamento de Microbiología-Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM); Circuito Interior, Ciudad Universitaria, Av. Universidad 3000, México, D.F., 04510, Mexico. emello@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D
keywords: Collectins; Innate immune response; Respiratory fungal pathogens; Surfactant proteins