Understanding the Principle Biophysics Concepts of Pulmonary Surfactant in Health and Disease Chiara Autilio,1,2 Jesús Pérez-Gil1,2
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Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed: first published as 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315413 on 14 December 2018. Downloaded from Review Understanding the principle biophysics concepts of pulmonary surfactant in health and disease Chiara Autilio,1,2 Jesús Pérez-Gil1,2 1Department of Biochemistry ABSTRact stable film at the air-liquid interface, displacing and Molecular Biology, Faculty Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a lipid-protein complex water molecules from exposure to air and therefore of Biology, Complutense reduces surface tension (figure 1A). At the same University, Madrid, Spain essential to stabilise the delicate structure of mammalian 2Research Institute "Hospital alveoli along with successive compression-expansion time, different components of PS constitute a first 12 de Octubre", Complutense respiratory cycles. To do so, surfactant reduces barrier to the access of pathogens to the rest of the University, Madrid, Spain dramatically surface tension at the air-liquid interface, organism via the large respiratory surface. an activity that depends critically on a proper lipid The major components of PS are lipids (~92%), Correspondence to composition and the presence of some specific surfactant mostly saturated phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) Professor Jesús Pérez-Gil, Department of Biochemistry, proteins. Lack or dysfunction of this system is associated (~40%), which is essential for PS surface active Faculty of Biology, Complutense with severe respiratory pathologies, which are in some properties. The saturated nature of acyl chains in University, José Antonio Novais cases treated by supplementation with exogenous DPPC allows for maximal packing on reduction of 12, Madrid 28040, Spain ; surfactant materials. The biophysical function and surface area, and therefore, maximal exclusion of jperezgil@ bio. ucm. es performance of PS, in health and disease, are directly water molecules and maximal reduction in surface Received 8 October 2018 influenced by its composition, structure and mechanical tension. Unsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PC), Revised 15 November 2018 properties. This review summarises the main biophysics phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and cholesterol account Accepted 16 November 2018 concepts behind the mechanisms that define surfactant for ~25%, ~10% and ~5–8% of PS total mass, function in a healthy lung and in pathological situations. respectively, whereas the other lipid species (neutral It also revises some of the most useful biophysical lipids and other phospholipids (PL)) correspond to techniques that provide information about surfactant- the residual 8–10% (figure 1B).1 The remaining related processes. Finally, translational biophysics will part of PS (~8%) is constituted by four specific be invoked to illustrate how biophysical studies may proteins, which can be classified into two families: by copyright. contribute to understand the role of surfactant in health SP-B and SP-C (hydrophobic) and SP-A and SP-D and disease and to design better surfactant-based (hydrophilic). SP-A, SP-B and SP-C are associated therapeutic approaches. to PS membranes, mainly binding negative-charged PLs (SP-B, SP-C) and DPPC (SP-A), and are essen- tial to facilitate formation of the PS interfacial film, organising and stabilising the structure, and PULMONARY SURFACTANT IN HEALTH AND ensuring correct recycling (figure 1B). Moreover, DISEASE SP-A and SP-D belong to the collectin protein family Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a membrane-based and are involved in innate immune defence against system composed of a mixture of lipids and proteins. lung pathogens and allergens.2 3 It is synthetised by alveolar type II pneumocytes The composition, structure and mechanical prop- and secreted into the thin layer of fluid that covers erties of PS layers are directly responsible for the the alveolar epithelium. The main function of PS biophysical function and performance of the system is related to the stabilisation of the delicate struc- in a healthy lung. The lack, deficiency or inactiva- ture of mammalian alveoli by producing a dramatic tion of PS leads to severe respiratory disorders both http://fn.bmj.com/ reduction of the surface tension at the respiratory in neonates and adults, such as neonatal respira- air-liquid interface. At this interface, water mole- tory distress syndrome (RDS) and acute respiratory cules in contact with air cohere more strongly, distress syndrome (ARDS). because the interactions with the water bulk phase RDS is mostly due to lung immaturity and lack of are not compensated with interactions on the air side PS in preterm neonates. The resulting high surface where water molecules in vapour phase are scarce. tension impedes keeping the alveoli open since on 17 December 2018 by guest. Protected This generates a net intermolecular cohesive force, the first breath, causing high neonatal mortality which is defined as the surface tension. Opening (figure 1C left). In the early 1990s, surfactant new surface exposed to air, as required during each replacement therapy (SRT) with an exogenous © Author(s) (or their single inspiration, demands overcoming this cohe- surfactant preparation contributed to decreasing employer(s)) 2018. No sive superficial force, supplying the energy neces- mortality rates,4 as it facilitates respiratory commercial re-use. See rights sary to break the molecular interactions that the mechanics, which stimulates the self-production and permissions. Published 5 6 by BMJ. new molecules need to break through the gas-liquid of PS in newborns. However, SRT is not effec- interface. At high surface tension, therefore, the tive when RDS is due to severe genetic disorders To cite: Autilio C, Pérez-Gil J. work of breathing, that is, to open the lungs 15–20 (for instance, SP-B deficiency due to mutations in Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed Epub ahead of print: times/min, would consume a fair proportion of the SFTPB gene or alterations in the ABCA3 gene) [please include Day Month metabolic energy, and would unavoidably end in and particularly challenged in pathologies in which Year]. doi:10.1136/ alveolar collapse. To prevent collapse and reduce both endogenous and therapeutic surfactant result archdischild-2018-315413 the work of breathing, PS spontaneously forms a inactivated by a direct or indirect damage of their Autilio C, Pérez-Gil J. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 2018;0:F1–F9. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2018-315413 F1 Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed: first published as 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315413 on 14 December 2018. Downloaded from Review Figure 1 Pulmonary surfactant (PS) in healthy and diseased human lung tissue. (A) Illustrative scheme of PL-mediated reduction of surface by copyright. tension. When a layer of PLs is formed at the air-liquid interface, the PL amphipathic molecules displace water molecules and reduce the air-liquid proximity. (B) A schematic representation of a normal alveolus, with the organisation of PS membranes at the air-liquid interface and the lipid/protein composition of lung surfactant. (C) Collapsed alveolus in RDS due to ATII cell immaturity and injured alveoli both in ARDS and MAS. The resulting inhibition of PS membranes caused by protein exudate, sPLA2, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cholesterol and bile acids is shown. (D) A schematic representation of (1) IPF alveolus with a reduction in levels of both SP-C and PLs and (2) PAP alveolus obstruction due to the excess of already used and undegraded PS. aAMφ, activated macrophages; AMφ, alveolar macrophages; aPMN, activated polymorphonucleated cells; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; ATI, alveolar type I pneumocytes; ATII, alveolar type II pneumocytes; BA, bile acid; CHOL, cholesterol; DPPC, saturated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; FFA, free fatty acids; imATII, immature alveolar type II pneumocytes; IPF, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; MAS, meconium aspiration syndrome; MFB, myofibroblasts; MO, monocytes; n-ATI, necrotic alveolar type I pneumocytes; NL, neutral lipid; ox-PLs, oxidised phospholipids; ox-SP-B, oxidised SP-B; ox-SP-C, oxidised SP-C; PAP, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; PG, phosphatidylglycerol; PL, phospholipid; RBC, red blood cell; RDS, respiratory distress syndrome; sPLA2, secretory phospholipase A2; unPC, unsaturated phosphatidylcholine. surface properties.7 Still, SRT seems to exhibit partial efficiency by means of the same compounds described above, which may be in some cases of ARDS. The identification of which patients with found in the meconium mixture.6 11 Besides, a simultaneous action http://fn.bmj.com/ ARDS can benefit the most is an important challenge in clinical of cholesterol and bile acids highly increases surfactant fluidity and research. contributes further to its inactivation (Figure 1C right).12 More- ARDS is an acute respiratory failure triggered by various over, bile acids act as a cofactor of sPLA2, increasing the enzyme conditions, characterised by extensive lung inflammation and activity and contributing to lung injury.13 diffuse alveolar injury. The resulting impairment of PS is mainly Although less relevant in a paediatric context, some reports due to an increase of infiltrating inflammatory cells, necrotic suggest that PS dysfunction could be also behind idiopathic on 17 December 2018 by guest. Protected cell fractions and exosomes. However, higher levels of secretory pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and progressive epithelial phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) may also contribute to hydrolyse PLs injury which still nowadays remains unsolved. Specifically, a and nourish