Characteristics of surfactant from SP-A-deficient mice

Mice that are surfactant protein (SP) A deficient [SP-A(−/−)] have no apparent abnormalities in lung function. To understand the contributions of SP-A to surfactant, the biophysical properties and functional characteristics of surfactant from normal [SP-A(+/+)] and SP-A(−/−) mice were evaluated. SP-A-deficient surfactant had a lower buoyant density, a lower percentage of large-aggregate forms, an increased rate of conversion from large-aggregate to small-aggregate forms with surface area cycling, increased sensitivity to inhibition of minimum surface tension by plasma protein, and no tubular myelin by electron microscopy. Nevertheless, large-aggregate surfactants from SP-A(−/−) and SP-A(+/+) mice had similar adsorption rates and improved the lung volume of surfactant-deficient preterm rabbits similarly. Pulmonary edema and death caused byN-nitroso-N-methylurethane-induced lung injury were not different in SP-A(−/−) and SP-A(+/+) mice. The clearance of125I-labeled SP-A from lungs of SP-A(−/−) mice was slig...