scholarly journals Role of Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase α in Lung Development

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 975-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Tian ◽  
Ruobing Zhou ◽  
Jerold E. Rehg ◽  
Suzanne Jackowski

ABSTRACT Lung development depends upon the differentiation and expansion of a variety of specialized epithelial cell types, including distal type I and type II pneumocytes in the late term. Previous studies have shown a strict dependence on the choline cytidylyltransferase α isoform (CCTα) to mediate membrane phospholipid formation in cultured cells and during preimplantation embryogenesis. CCTα expression is highest in lung, and there has long been speculation about its precise role, due to the dual requirement for phospholipid in proliferating cell membranes and for lung surfactant production from alveolar type II cells. We investigated the function of CCTα in lung development, using an inducible, epithelial cell-specific CCTα knockout mouse line. Deletion of CCTα beginning at embryonic day 7.5 did not restrict lung development but resulted in severe respiratory failure at birth. Alveolar lavage and lung lipid analyses showed significant decreases in the major surfactant phospholipid, dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine. The fatty acids destined for the surfactant phospholipid were redirected to an expanded triglyceride pool. Transcripts encoding type II cell-specific markers were expressed in the knockout mice, indicating the expected progression of differentiation in lung epithelia. However, surfactant protein levels were reduced, with the exception of that for surfactant protein B, which was elevated. Ultrastructural analysis of the type II cells showed Golgi complex abnormalities and aberrant lamellar bodies, which deliver surfactant lipid and protein to the alveolar lumen. Thus, CCTα was not required for the proliferation or differentiation of lung epithelia but was essential for the secretory component of phospholipid synthesis and critical for the proper formation of lamellar bodies and surfactant protein homeostasis.

1993 ◽  
Vol 265 (2) ◽  
pp. L193-L199 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Tsuzuki ◽  
Y. Kuroki ◽  
T. Akino

Pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A)-mediated uptake of phosphatidylcholine (PC) by alveolar type II cells was investigated. SP-A enhanced the uptake of liposomes containing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine (PLPC), or 1,2-dihexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC-ether), a diether analogue of DPPC, but about twice as much DPPC was taken up by type II cells as PLPC or DPPC-ether. When subcellular distribution was analyzed, 51.3 +/- 2.9% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) of cell-associated radiolabeled DPPC was recovered in the lamellar body-rich fraction in the presence of SP-A, whereas only 19.3 +/- 1.9% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) was found to this fraction in the absence of SP-A. When type II cells were incubated either with DPPC at 0 degree C or with DPPC-ether at 37 degrees C, or no cells were included, low proportions of the cell-associated lipids were present in the fractions corresponding to lamellar bodies even in the presence of SP-A. Anti-SP-A antibody significantly reduced the radioactivity incorporated into the lamellar body fraction. Phosphatidylcholine that had been incorporated into lamellar bodies remained largely intact when SP-A was present. Subcellular fractionations of type II cells with radiolabeled SP-A and DPPC revealed that the sedimentation characteristics of cell-associated SP-A are different from those of DPPC, although a small broad peak of radiolabeled SP-A was found in the lamellar body fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1996 ◽  
Vol 270 (6) ◽  
pp. L1017-L1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Y. Adamson ◽  
L. Young

Most of the alveolar epithelium overlies a fused basement membrane produced by epithelial and endothelial cells. To determine how this type of matrix influences type II cell growth and function, we studied the effects of culturing isolated rat alveolar type II cells on an extracellular matrix (ECM) freshly produced by pulmonary vascular endothelial cells grown 5 days in culture. Type II cells from the same rats were cultured on plastic or Matrigel for comparison. A large increase in mitotic activity was seen in type II cells grown on the endothelial ECM at 2 days only; thereafter cells spread rapidly to confluence and lost their lamellar bodies. Cells grown on Matrigel remained cuboidal with lamellar bodies but grew more slowly, as judged by [3H]thymidine uptake and cell numbers. Incorporation of labeled choline into disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) was used as a marker of surfactant synthesis. After the rapid, brief burst of proliferation, type II cells on endothelial ECM showed a sudden decline in DSPC-DNA by day 4 compared with cells grown on matrigel. Binding of the lectin Bauhinia purpurea (BPA) indicated that after a phase of division, cells on endothelial ECM developed as type I epithelium by 4 days of culture, when > 70% of cells stained positively for BPA binding, whereas few cuboidal cells on Matrigel were stained. The results indicate that type II cells respond briefly to growth factors in pulmonary endothelial ECM; then this type of matrix promotes cell spreading with loss of type II function as cells subsequently resemble type I epithelium.


2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (2) ◽  
pp. L283-L294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly A. Correll ◽  
Karen E. Edeen ◽  
Rachel L. Zemans ◽  
Elizabeth F. Redente ◽  
Karina A. Serban ◽  
...  

Epithelial-fibroblast interactions are thought to be very important in the adult lung in response to injury, but the specifics of these interactions are not well defined. We developed coculture systems to define the interactions of adult human alveolar epithelial cells with lung fibroblasts. Alveolar type II cells cultured on floating collagen gels reduced the expression of type 1 collagen (COL1A1) and α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) in fibroblasts. They also reduced fibroblast expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7, KGF), and FGF10. When type II cells were cultured at an air-liquid interface to maintain high levels of surfactant protein expression, this inhibitory activity was lost. When type II cells were cultured on collagen-coated tissue culture wells to reduce surfactant protein expression further and increase the expression of some type I cell markers, the epithelial cells suppressed transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-stimulated ACTA2 and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression in lung fibroblasts. Our results suggest that transitional alveolar type II cells and likely type I cells but not fully differentiated type II cells inhibit matrix and growth factor expression in fibroblasts. These cells express markers of both type II cells and type I cells. This is probably a normal homeostatic mechanism to inhibit the fibrotic response in the resolution phase of wound healing. Defining how transitional type II cells convert activated fibroblasts into a quiescent state and inhibit the effects of TGF-β may provide another approach to limiting the development of fibrosis after alveolar injury.


2000 ◽  
Vol 278 (4) ◽  
pp. L830-L839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel F. Herbein ◽  
Jordan Savov ◽  
Jo Rae Wright

Alveolar type II cells secrete, internalize, and recycle pulmonary surfactant, a lipid and protein complex that increases alveolar compliance and participates in pulmonary host defense. Surfactant protein (SP) D, a collagenous C-type lectin, has recently been described as a modulator of surfactant homeostasis. Mice lacking SP-D accumulate surfactant in their alveoli and type II cell lamellar bodies, organelles adapted for recycling and secretion of surfactant. The goal of current study was to characterize the interaction of SP-D with rat type II cells. Type II cells bound SP-D in a concentration-, time-, temperature-, and calcium-dependent manner. However, SP-D binding did not alter type II cell surfactant lipid uptake. Type II cells internalized SP-D into lamellar bodies and degraded a fraction of the SP-D pool. Our results also indicated that SP-D binding sites on type II cells may differ from those on alveolar macrophages. We conclude that, in vitro, type II cells bind and recycle SP-D to lamellar bodies, but SP-D may not directly modulate surfactant uptake by type II cells.


1995 ◽  
Vol 312 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Sohma ◽  
N Matsushima ◽  
T Watanabe ◽  
A Hattori ◽  
Y Kuroki ◽  
...  

Surfactant protein A (SP-A), a lung-specific glycoprotein in pulmonary surfactant, is synthesized and secreted from the alveolar type II cells. It has been shown that SP-A is a Ca(2+)-binding protein with several binding sites and that the high-affinity site(s) is located in the C-terminal region of SP-A. In the present study we isolated the proteins from bovine lung soluble fraction that bind to SP-A in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner using DEAE-Sephacel and SP-A-conjugated Sepharose 4B. At least three different protein bands with molecular masses of 24.5, 32, and 33 kDa were observed on SDS/PAGE. The main protein, with molecular mass of 32 kDa, was identified as annexin IV by the partial-amino-acid-sequence analyses and an immunoblot analysis with anti-(annexin IV) antiserum. We also found from the immunoblot analysis that the cytosolic fraction of isolated rat alveolar type II cells contains annexin IV. In addition, when rat lung cytosol was loaded on to the lung lamellar body-conjugated Sepharose 4B in the presence of Ca2+, two proteins, with molecular masses of 32 and 60 kDa on SDS/PAGE respectively, were eluted with EGTA. The 32 kDa protein was shown to be annexin IV by an immunoblot analysis with the antiserum against annexin IV. The lung annexin IV augmented the Ca(2+)-induced aggregation of the lung lamellar bodies from rats. However, the augmentation of aggregation of the lung lamellar bodies by annexin IV was attenuated when the lamellar bodies were preincubated with polyclonal anti-SP-A antibodies. SP-A bound to annexin IV under conditions where contaminated lipid was removed. These results suggest that SP-A bound to annexin IV based on protein-protein interaction, though both proteins are phospholipid-binding proteins. All these findings suggest that the interaction between SP-A and annexin IV may have some role in alveolar type II cells.


1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Kalina ◽  
F X McCormack ◽  
H Crowley ◽  
D R Voelker ◽  
R J Mason

Pulmonary surfactant is thought to be internalized and processed for reuse by alveolar Type II cells. In the present study we followed the internalization and intracellular trafficking of purified surfactant protein A (SP-A) by primary cultures of alveolar Type II cells. Internalization of native rat SP-A was compared with that of recombinant rat and human SP-A isolated from a patient with alveolar proteinosis. All SP-A species were conjugated with colloidal gold for visualization by electron microscopy. The gold conjugates were biologically active, as demonstrated by inhibition of phospholipid secretion from alveolar Type II cells. The SP-A-gold conjugates were internalized to lamellar bodies (LB) via the endosomal system, which included both electron-lucent and -dense multivesicular bodies. Labeling of LB was time dependent, and after 7 hr 30-40% of these organelles were labeled. Alkylation of SP-A greatly reduced internalization, as did an excess of non-conjugated SP-A. No qualitative differences in uptake were observed with the three forms of SP-A. The percent of labeled LB was similar (30-40%) after 7 hr of internalization with the three species of SP-A. The recombinant SP-A produced using a baculovirus vector lacked hydroxyproline and had an altered oligosaccharide, but these features did not affect its internalization or the rate of LB labeling. Internalization of the gold-conjugated SP-A and endocytosis of the fluid-phase marker Lucifer Yellow were related to the shape of Type II cells. Both uptake of SP-A, which is receptor mediated, and fluid-phase endocytosis were found to be less active in the flattened than in the rounded cells. Therefore, cell shape and hence cytoskeletal organization may play an important role in SP-A recycling. However, it is possible that both morphology and decreased endocytosis are independent manifestations related to the loss of differentiated function of cultured Type II cells.


1996 ◽  
Vol 318 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avinash CHANDER ◽  
Namita SEN ◽  
Ai-Min WU ◽  
Stephen HIGGINS ◽  
Sandra WADSWORTH ◽  
...  

Lung lamellar bodies, the storage organelles for lung surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC), maintain an acidic pH that can be increased with weak bases. This study investigates the effect of a weak base, methylamine, on the pH in lamellar bodies and on the trafficking and packaging of newly synthesized PC in lamellar bodies. Methylamine increased the pH of isolated lung lamellar bodies and of lamellar bodies in intact cells. Metabolic labelling of isolated type II cells with [methyl-3H]choline showed that although methylamine (2.5–10 mM) did not alter the labelling of cellular or microsomal PC and disaturated PC, it decreased the labelling of the PC and disaturated PC in lamellar bodies. The packaging of PC in lamellar bodies (the specific activities ratio between the PC in lamellar bodies and the microsomal PC) also decreased in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The cellular synthesis of PC or its packaging into lamellar bodies was unaltered by brefeldin A, suggesting that the Golgi was not involved in PC packaging. Although methylamine also increased surfactant secretion, the inhibition of PC packaging in lamellar bodies seems unrelated to the secretagogue effect, (1) on the basis of metabolic consequences of increased secretion and (2) because ATP, another secretagogue, did not inhibit PC packaging. Methylamine seems to inhibit PC packaging by inhibiting trafficking of PC to lipid-rich light subcellular fractions. Together our results suggest that the trafficking of surfactant PC into lamellar bodies might be sensitive to changes in the pH of lamellar bodies.


Author(s):  
W.F. Voorhout ◽  
T. Veenendaal ◽  
H.P. Haagsman ◽  
J.W. Slot

Lung surfactant is composed primarily of phospholipids but contains also about 10% proteins. Its main function is to decrease alveolar surface tension at low transpulmonary pressure to prevent alveolar collaps. Surfactant is stored in lamellar bodies in alveo1lar type II cells and is transformed after secretion in tubular myelin, a lattice-like structure.We investigated the biogenesis of surfactant and the pathways that the large hydrophilic surfactant protein A (SP-A) and the small hydrophobic surfactant protein B (SP-B) follow in human lung by using two different immunocytochemical techniques, the cryo-ultramicrotomy method and a new post-embedding method.In the non-embedded, ultrathin cryosections of the lung, prepared and immunolabeled for SP-A and SP-B as described before, it was impossible to achieve a satisfying preservation of lipid-rich structures like lamellar bodies (Fig. 1 and 2). Nevertheless SP-A and SP-B are detected in remnants of lamellar bodies (Fig. 1 and 2) and SP-A is further found to be present throughout the biosynthetic route, in some multivesicular bodies and over the apical plasma membrane of type II cells (Fig. 1).


1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (6) ◽  
pp. L699-L707 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Breslin ◽  
T. E. Weaver

This study reports the ability of rat alveolar type II cells to internalize mature bovine surfactant protein B (SP-B) in vitro. Isolated type II cells were incubated with labeled SP-B, and binding and internalization were studied biochemically and morphologically. Biochemical analyses demonstrated a time-dependent association of 125I-labeled SP-B with type II cells; binding steadily increased through 4 h and then remained constant through 20 h of incubation. The association of [3H]SP-B with type II cells was characterized via light and electron microscopic autoradiography. Significant quantities of [3H]SP-B were found at the plasma membrane, in the endocytic pathway, and in lamellar bodies. The pathway of SP-B internalization was not altered by the presence of whole rat surfactant; however, the quantity of SP-B internalized into lamellar bodies was increased. 3[H]SP-B was not associated with coated pits and colocalized with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), consistent with receptor-independent internalization. Cell-associated SP-B was not degraded and was detected in lamellar bodies undergoing exocytosis. These results suggest that SP-B may follow a recycling pathway similar to that previously reported for surfactant phospholipids.


2007 ◽  
Vol 293 (2) ◽  
pp. L259-L271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra V. Andreeva ◽  
Mikhail A. Kutuzov ◽  
Tatyana A. Voyno-Yasenetskaya

Molecular mechanisms of surfactant delivery to the air/liquid interface in the lung, which is crucial to lower the surface tension, have been studied for more than two decades. Lung surfactant is synthesized in the alveolar type II cells. Its delivery to the cell surface is preceded by surfactant component synthesis, packaging into specialized organelles termed lamellar bodies, delivery to the apical plasma membrane and fusion. Secreted surfactant undergoes reuptake, intracellular processing, and finally resecretion of recycled material. This review focuses on the mechanisms of delivery of surfactant components to and their secretion from lamellar bodies. Lamellar bodies–independent secretion is also considered. Signal transduction pathways involved in regulation of these processes are discussed as well as disorders associated with their malfunction.


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