Journal article
PLUNC: a multifunctional surfactant of the airways
Biochemical Society transactions, Vol.39(4), pp.1012-1016
08/2011
DOI: 10.1042/BST0391012
PMCID: PMC3572202
PMID: 21787339
Abstract
PLUNC (palate, lung and nasal epithelium clone) protein is an abundant secretory product of epithelia throughout the mammalian conducting airways. Despite its homology with the innate immune defence molecules BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein) and LBP (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein), it has been difficult to define the functions of PLUNC. Based on its marked hydrophobicity and expression pattern, we hypothesized that PLUNC is an airway surfactant. We found that purified recombinant human PLUNC exhibited potent surfactant activity by several different measures, and experiments with airway epithelial cell lines and primary cultures indicate that native PLUNC makes a significant contribution to the overall surface tension in airway epithelial secretions. Interestingly, we also found that physiologically relevant concentrations of PLUNC-inhibited
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
biofilm formation
in vitro
without acting directly as a bactericide. This finding suggests that PLUNC protein may inhibit biofilm formation by airway pathogens, perhaps through its dispersant properties. Our data, along with reports from other groups on activity against some airway pathogens, expand on an emerging picture of PLUNC as a multifunctional protein, which plays a novel role in airway defences at the air/liquid interface.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- PLUNC: a multifunctional surfactant of the airways
- Creators
- Jennifer Bartlett - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 240 EMRB, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.ALokesh Gakhar - Department of Biochemistry and Protein Crystallography Facility, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 240 EMRB, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.AJon Penterman - Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.APradeep Singh - Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, U.S.ARama K Mallampalli - Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, U.S.AEdith Porter - Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, CA 90032, U.S.APaul B McCray - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 240 EMRB, Iowa City, IA 52242, U.S.A
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Biochemical Society transactions, Vol.39(4), pp.1012-1016
- DOI
- 10.1042/BST0391012
- PMID
- 21787339
- PMCID
- PMC3572202
- NLM abbreviation
- Biochem Soc Trans
- ISSN
- 0300-5127
- eISSN
- 1470-8752
- Grant note
- P30 ES005605 || ES / National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences : NIEHS
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/2011
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; Pulmonary Medicine; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Medicine Administration; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984093371702771
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