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Competitive adsorption: a physical model for lung surfactant inactivation
Jonathan G Fernsler1, Joseph A Zasadzinski
1Department of Physics, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA. jfernsle@calpoly.edu
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|June 19, 2009
Summary
Serum proteins hinder lung surfactant adsorption to the air-liquid interface, increasing breathing surface tension. This competitive adsorption mechanism impacts lung function and may contribute to acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Lung surfactant maintains low alveolar surface tension, crucial for breathing.
- Serum proteins can interfere with lung surfactant function.
- The mechanisms of this interference are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the competitive adsorption of serum proteins and lung surfactant at the air-water interface.
- To elucidate how serum proteins affect lung surfactant adsorption and function.
- To validate a new method for measuring adsorption rates.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was employed to measure adsorption rates.
- Competitive adsorption experiments were conducted with albumin and lung surfactant.
- Surface tension measurements were correlated with adsorption kinetics.
Main Results:
- Charged serum proteins significantly reduce or eliminate lung surfactant adsorption.
- Albumin's rapid diffusion and film formation create barriers to surfactant adsorption.
- Impaired surfactant adsorption leads to increased surface tension and loss of essential lung surfactant properties.
Conclusions:
- Competitive adsorption of serum proteins is a key mechanism for lung surfactant inactivation.
- This process can compromise lung mechanics and may contribute to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
- Quantitative BAM provides a novel method to study these interfacial phenomena.
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