Effect of L-arginine on pulmonary surfactant in the rats with LPS-induced acute lung injury / 中华麻醉学杂志

Objectiye To investigate the effect of L-arginine on pulmonary surfactant (PS) in the rats with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI).Methods Forty-eight adult male SD rats weighing 220-270 g were randomly divided into 4 groups:group Ⅰ control (group C);group Ⅱ LPS;group Ⅲ LPS 3 h + L-arginine(group L1);group Ⅳ LPS6 h + L-arginine(group L2). ALI was induced by intravenous (Ⅳ)LPS 5 mg/kg in LPS,L1 and L2 groups. L-arginine 500 mg/kg was given intraperitoneally at 3 or 6 h after LPS administration in group L1 or group L2. The animals were sacrificed at 3 h after L-arginine administration, eight animals were sacrificed at 6 h and 9 h after LPS in group C and group LPS. The lungs were immediately removed for determination of surfactant-protein (SP-A) mRNA expression and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF). The total phospholipid (TPL) and total protein (TP) concentrations in the BALF were measured. Results SP-A mRNA in the lung tissue and TPL concentration in BALF were significantly decreased while TP concentration in BALF was significantly increased in group LPS, as compared with control groups( P ＜ 0.01 ). L-arginine given at 3 h after LPS administration significantly attenuated the LPS-induced changes while L-arginine given at 6 h after LPS did not. Conclusion L-arginine can protect the lungs from LPS-induced injury by up-regulating PS-expression.

Study on the relationship between serum surfactant protein and interstitial lung disease in systemic lupus erythematosus / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum surfactant protein-A (SP-A) and -D (SP-D) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with interstitial lung disease.(SLE-ILD) and its clinical significance.Methods Serum SP-A and SP-D levels of SLE patients and controis were assessed using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The relationship between SP-A and SP-D and SLE-ILD,the correlation between SP-A and SP-D with age,disease activity index,pulmonary function test and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) score were analyzed.Results The level of serum SP-A and SP-D in patients with SLE is higher than that in healthy controls(P＜0.05).The level of serum SP-A and SP-D in patients with SLE complicated with ILD was higher than that in patients without ILD and healthy controls (P＜0.05).The level of serum SP-D in patients with SLE-ILD was correlated positively with HRCT score (r=0.508,P=0.004) and interstitial score (r=0.468,P=0.009),and it correlated inversely with vital capacity (%VC) (r=-0.590,P=0.001 ) and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (%DLCO)(r=-0.588,P=0.001 ).There was no correlation between the level of serum SP-A with SLE-ILD and HRCT score,%VC and %DLCO.The level of serum SP-D in patients with SLE-ILD correlated positively with serum IgG (r=0.376,P=0.040),and the level of serum SP-A in patients with SLE-ILD correlated positively with serum C reactive protein (CRP)(r=0.403,P=0.027).There was a positive correlation between the level of serum SP-D in patients with SLE and age (r=0.352,P=O.001 ).Conclusion The levels of serum SP-A and SP-D may be useful markers for ILD in patients with SLE.There is correlation between the level of serum SPD and HRCT score,pulmonary function test,and it is positively correlated with age and disease activity index.