Journal article
Activity of Abundant Antimicrobials of the Human Airway
American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, Vol.20(5), pp.872-879
05/1999
DOI: 10.1165/ajrcmb.20.5.3572
PMID: 10226057
Abstract
Human airways produce several antimicrobial factors; the most abundant are lysozyme and lactoferrin. Despite their likely importance in preventing infection, and their possible key role in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis (CF), we know little about their antibacterial activity in the context of the CF airway. We found that abundant airway antimicrobial factors kill common CF pathogens, although Burkholderia was relatively resistant. To study the antibacterial activity, we developed a rapid, sensitive, and quantitative in vitro luminescence assay. Because NaCl concentrations may be elevated in CF airway surface liquid, we tested the effect of salt on antibacterial activity. Activity of individual factors and of airway lavage fluid was inhibited by high ionic strength, and it was particularly sensitive to divalent cations. However, it was not inhibited by nonionic osmolytes and thus did not require hypotonic liquid. The inhibition by ionic strength could be partially compensated by increased concentrations of antibacterial factors, thus there was no one unique salt concentration for inhibition. CF airway secretions also contain abundant mucin and elastase; however, these had no effect on antibacterial activity of lysozyme, lactoferrin, or airway lavage fluids. When studied at low NaCl concentrations, CF and non-CF airway lavage fluids contained similar levels of antibacterial activity. These results suggest approaches toward developing treatments aimed at preventing or reducing airway infections in individuals with CF.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Activity of Abundant Antimicrobials of the Human Airway
- Creators
- Sue M TravisBarbara-Ann D ConwayJoseph ZabnerJeffrey J SmithNorma N AndersonPradeep K SinghE Peter GreenbergMichael J Welsh
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology, Vol.20(5), pp.872-879
- DOI
- 10.1165/ajrcmb.20.5.3572
- PMID
- 10226057
- ISSN
- 1044-1549
- eISSN
- 1535-4989
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/1999
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Occupational Medicine; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Neurosurgery; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984020657602771
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