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Differences in Surfactant Lipids Collected from Pleural and Pulmonary Lining Fluids

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Purpose

The type and relative importance of saturated and unsaturated phospholipid components of surfactant within the epithelial lining fluid (ELF) of the inner and outer surfaces of the lung is not known.

Methods

Seven healthy dogs were anesthetized and a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, immediately followed by a pleural lavage (PL). Lipid was extracted from lavage fluid and then analyzed for saturated, primarily dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and unsaturated phosphatidylcholine (PC) species using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with combined fluorescence and ultraviolet detection. Dilution of ELF in lavage fluids was corrected for using the urea method.

Results

DPPC (494.7 ± 213.9 μg/mL) was the predominant PC present in ELF collected from the alveolar surface. In contrast, significantly higher (p = 0.028) proportions of unsaturated PC species were measured in PL fluid (∼105 μg/mL), particularly stearoyl-linoleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (SLPC), which could not be measured in fluid collected from the alveoli, compared to DPPC (2.6 ± 2.0 μg/mL).

Conclusions

This study indicates that unsaturated PC species seem to be more important than saturated species, particularly DPPC, in the pleural cavity, which has implications for surfactant replenishment following pleural disease or thoracic surgery.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the John and Mary Kibble Trust for supporting this study and Dr. John Morton for statistical advice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia

    Paul C. Mills

  2. Golden Casket Pediatric Research Laboratory, Mater Medical Research Institute, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia

    Yi Chen, Yvette C. Hills & Brian A. Hills

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  1. Paul C. Mills
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  2. Yi Chen
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  3. Yvette C. Hills
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Correspondence to Paul C. Mills.

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Mills, P.C., Chen, Y., Hills, Y.C. et al. Differences in Surfactant Lipids Collected from Pleural and Pulmonary Lining Fluids. Pharm Res 22, 1926–1930 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-005-7677-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-005-7677-y

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