Stable isotope analysis of dynamic lipidomics

Metabolic pathway flux is a fundamental element of biological activity, which can be quantified using a variety of mass spectrometric techniques to monitor incorporation of stable isotope-labelled substrates into metabolic products. This article contrasts developments in electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for the measurement of lipid metabolism with more established gas chromatography mass spectrometry and isotope ratio mass spectrometry methodologies. ESI-MS combined with diagnostic tandem MS/MS scans permits the sensitive and specific analysis of stable isotope-labelled substrates into intact lipid molecular species without the requirement for lipid hydrolysis and derivatisation. Such dynamic lipidomic methodologies using non-toxic stable isotopes can be readily applied to quantify lipid metabolic fluxes in clinical and metabolic studies in vivo. However, a significant current limitation is the absence of appropriate software to generate kinetic models of substrate incorporation into multiple products in the time domain. Finally, we discuss the future potential of stable isotope-mass spectrometry imaging to quantify the location as well as the extent of lipid synthesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: BBALIP_Lipidomics Opinion Articles edited by Sepp Kohlwein.

Rapid test for lung maturity, based on spectroscopy of gastric aspirate, predicted respiratory distress syndrome with high sensitivity

AIM

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in premature infants. By the time symptoms appear, it may already be too late to prevent a severe course, with bronchopulmonary dysplasia or mortality. We aimed to develop a rapid test of lung maturity for targeting surfactant supplementation.

METHODS

Concentrations of the most surface-active lung phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin in gastric aspirates from premature infants were measured by mass spectrometry and expressed as the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S). The same aspirates were analysed with mid-infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, L/S was measured in gastric aspirates and oropharyngeal secretions from another group of premature infants using spectroscopy and the results were compared with RDS development. The 10-minute analysis required 10 μL of aspirate.

RESULTS

An L/S algorithm was developed based on 89 aspirates. Subsequently, gastric aspirates were sampled in 136 infants of 24-31 weeks of gestation and 61 (45%) developed RDS. The cut-off value of L/S was 2.2, sensitivity was 92%, and specificity was 73%. In 59 cases, the oropharyngeal secretions had less valid L/S than gastric aspirate results.

CONCLUSION

Our rapid test for lung maturity, based on spectroscopy of gastric aspirate, predicted RDS with high sensitivity.

Lipid remodelling is a widespread strategy in marine heterotrophic bacteria upon phosphorus deficiency

Upon phosphorus (P) deficiency, marine phytoplankton reduce their requirements for P by replacing membrane phospholipids with alternative non-phosphorus lipids. It was very recently demonstrated that a SAR11 isolate also shares this capability when phosphate starved in culture. Yet, the extent to which this process occurs in other marine heterotrophic bacteria and in the natural environment is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the substitution of membrane phospholipids for a variety of non-phosphorus lipids is a conserved response to P deficiency among phylogenetically diverse marine heterotrophic bacteria, including members of the Alphaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria. By deletion mutagenesis and complementation in the model marine bacterium Phaeobacter sp. MED193 and heterologous expression in recombinant Escherichia coli, we confirm the roles of a phospholipase C (PlcP) and a glycosyltransferase in lipid remodelling. Analyses of the Global Ocean Sampling and Tara Oceans metagenome data sets demonstrate that PlcP is particularly abundant in areas characterized by low phosphate concentrations. Furthermore, we show that lipid remodelling occurs seasonally and responds to changing nutrient conditions in natural microbial communities from the Mediterranean Sea. Together, our results point to the key role of lipid substitution as an adaptive strategy enabling heterotrophic bacteria to thrive in the vast P-depleted areas of the ocean.

Cholesteryl esters stabilize human CD1c conformations for recognition by self-reactive T cells

Cluster of differentiation 1c (CD1c)-dependent self-reactive T cells are abundant in human blood, but self-antigens presented by CD1c to the T-cell receptors of these cells are poorly understood. Here we present a crystal structure of CD1c determined at 2.4 Å revealing an extended ligand binding potential of the antigen groove and a substantially different conformation compared with known CD1c structures. Computational simulations exploring different occupancy states of the groove reenacted these different CD1c conformations and suggested cholesteryl esters (CE) and acylated steryl glycosides (ASG) as new ligand classes for CD1c. Confirming this, we show that binding of CE and ASG to CD1c enables the binding of human CD1c self-reactive T-cell receptors. Hence, human CD1c adopts different conformations dependent on ligand occupancy of its groove, with CE and ASG stabilizing CD1c conformations that provide a footprint for binding of CD1c self-reactive T-cell receptors.

Antioxidant Role for Lipid Droplets in a Stem Cell Niche of Drosophila

Stem cells reside in specialized microenvironments known as niches. During Drosophila development, glial cells provide a niche that sustains the proliferation of neural stem cells (neuroblasts) during starvation. We now find that the glial cell niche also preserves neuroblast proliferation under conditions of hypoxia and oxidative stress. Lipid droplets that form in niche glia during oxidative stress limit the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibit the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). These droplets protect glia and also neuroblasts from peroxidation chain reactions that can damage many types of macromolecules. The underlying antioxidant mechanism involves diverting PUFAs, including diet-derived linoleic acid, away from membranes to the core of lipid droplets, where they are less vulnerable to peroxidation. This study reveals an antioxidant role for lipid droplets that could be relevant in many different biological contexts.

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Oxidative stress stimulates lipid droplet biosynthesis in a neural stem cell niche

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Lipid droplets protect niche and neural stem cells from damaging PUFA peroxidation

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PUFAs are less vulnerable to peroxidation in lipid droplets than in cell membranes

Ready-to-use therapeutic food with elevated n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content, with or without fish oil, to treat severe acute malnutrition: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) are lipid-based pastes widely used in the treatment of acute malnutrition. Current specifications for RUTF permit a high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content and low n-3 PUFA, with no stipulated requirements for preformed long-chain n-3 PUFA. The objective of this study was to develop an RUTF with elevated short-chain n-3 PUFA and measure its impact, with and without fish oil supplementation, on children's PUFA status during treatment of severe acute malnutrition.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial in children with severe acute malnutrition in rural Kenya included 60 children aged 6 to 50 months who were randomized to receive i) RUTF with standard composition; ii) RUTF with elevated short chain n-3 PUFA; or iii) RUTF with elevated short chain n-3 PUFA plus fish oil capsules. Participants were followed-up for 3 months. The primary outcome was erythrocyte PUFA composition.

RESULTS

Erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content declined from baseline in the two arms not receiving fish oil. Erythrocyte long-chain n-3 PUFA content following treatment was significantly higher for participants in the arm receiving fish oil than for those in the arms receiving RUTF with elevated short chain n-3 PUFA or standard RUTF alone: 3 months after enrollment, DHA content was 6.3% (interquartile range 6.0-7.3), 4.5% (3.9-4.9), and 3.9% (2.4-5.7) of total erythrocyte fatty acids (P <0.001), respectively, while eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content was 2.0% (1.5-2.6), 0.7% (0.6-0.8), and 0.4% (0.3-0.5) (P <0.001). RUTF with elevated short chain n-3 PUFA and fish oil capsules were acceptable to participants and carers, and there were no significant differences in safety outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

PUFA requirements of children with SAM are not met by current formulations of RUTF, or by an RUTF with elevated short-chain n-3 PUFA without additional preformed long-chain n-3 PUFA. Clinical and growth implications of revised formulations need to be addressed in large clinical trials.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01593969. Registered 4 May 2012.

Altered molecular specificity of surfactant phosphatidycholine synthesis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Background

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening critical illness, characterised by qualitative and quantitative surfactant compositional changes associated with premature airway collapse, gas-exchange abnormalities and acute hypoxic respiratory failure. The underlying mechanisms for this dysregulation in surfactant metabolisms are not fully explored. Lack of therapeutic benefits from clinical trials, highlight the importance of detailed in-vivo analysis and characterisation of ARDS patients according to patterns of surfactant synthesis and metabolism.

Methods

Ten patients with moderate to severe ARDS were recruited. Most (90%) suffered from pneumonia. They had an infusion of methyl-D₉-choline chloride and small volume bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained at 0,6,12,24,48,72 and 96 hours. Controls were healthy volunteers, who had BALF at 24 and 48 hours after methyl-D₉-choline infusion. Compositional analysis and enrichment patterns of stable isotope labelling of surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC) was determined by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry.

Results

BALF of patients with ARDS consisted of diminished total PC and fractional PC16:0/16:0 concentrations compared to healthy controls. Compositional analysis revealed, reductions in fractional compositions of saturated PC species with elevated levels of longer acyl chain unsaturated PC species. Molecular specificity of newly synthesised PC fraction showed time course variation, with lower PC16:0/16:0 composition at earlier time points, but achieved near equilibrium with endogenous composition at 48 hours after methyl-D₉-choline infusion. The enrichment of methyl-D₉-choline into surfactant total PC is nearly doubled in patients, with considerable variation between individuals.

Conclusions

This study demonstrate significant alterations in composition and kinetics of surfactant PC extracted from ARDS patients. This novel approach may facilitate biochemical phenotyping of ARDS patients according to surfactant synthesis and metabolism, enabling individualised treatment approaches for the management of ARDS patients in the future.

Phospholipid composition and kinetics in different endobronchial fractions from healthy volunteers

Background

Alterations in surfactant phospholipid compositions are a recognized feature of many acute and chronic lung diseases. Investigation of underlying mechanisms requires assessment of surfactant phospholipid molecular composition and kinetics of synthesis and turnover. Such studies have recently become possible in humans due to the development of stable isotope labelling combined with advances in analytical methods in lipidomics. The objectives of this study are to compare phospholipid molecular species composition and phosphatidylcholine synthesis and turnover in surfactant isolated from various endobronchial compartments in healthy adults.

Methods

Healthy adults (N = 10) were infused with methyl-D₉-choline chloride and samples of induced sputum, tracheal wash and small volume bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were obtained subsequently at intervals up to 96 hours. Surfactant phospholipid composition and incorporation of stable isotope into surfactant phosphatidylcholine were determined by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry.

Results

While molecular species compositions of phospholipids were similar for all three sample types, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine content was highest in lavage, intermediate in tracheal wash and lowest in sputum. Methyl-D₉-choline incorporation into surfactant phosphatidylcholine was lower for sputum at 24 hours but reached equilibrium with other sample types by 48 hours. Fractional methyl-D₉-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine incorporation for all sample types was about 0.5% of the endogenous composition. Lysophosphatidylcholine enrichment was twice than that of phosphatidylcholine.

Conclusions

Tracheal secretions may be of value as a surrogate to assess bronchoalveolar lavage fluid surfactant molecular composition and metabolism in healthy people. Despite minor differences, the phospholipid molecular composition of induced sputum also showed similarities to that of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Detailed analysis of newly synthesized individual phosphatidylcholine species provided novel insights into mechanisms of surfactant synthesis and acyl remodelling. Lysophosphatidylcholine methyl-D₉ incorporation patterns suggest that these species are secreted together with other surfactant phospholipids and are not generated in the air spaces by hydrolysis of secreted surfactant phosphatidylcholine. Application into patient populations may elucidate potential underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to surfactant alterations in disease states.

Cell cycle dependent changes in membrane stored curvature elastic energy: evidence from lipidomic studies

One of the most developed theories of phospholipid homeostasis is the intrinsic curvature hypothesis, which, in broad terms, postulates that cells regulate their lipid composition so as to keep constant the membrane stored curvature elastic energy. The implication of this hypothesis is that lipid composition is determined by a ratio control function consisting of the weighted sum of concentrations of type II lipids in the numerator and the weighted sum of concentrations of Type 0 lipids in the denominator. In previous work we used a data-driven approach, based on lipidomic data from asynchronous cell cultures, to determine a criterion that allows the different lipid species to be assigned to the set of type 0 or of type II lipids, and hence construct a ratio control function that serves as a proxy for the lipid contribution to total membrane stored curvature elastic energy in vivo. Here we apply the curvature elastic energy proxy to the analysis of lipid composition data from synchronous HeLa cells as they traverse the cell cycle. Our analysis suggests HeLa cells modify their membrane stored elastic energy through the cell cycle. In S-phase type 0 lipids are the most abundant, whilst in G2 type II lipids are most abundant. Changes in our proxy for membrane stored elastic energy correlate with membrane curvature dependent processes in the HeLa cell around division, providing some insights into the interplay between the individual lipid and protein contributions to membrane free energy.

Application of 'omics technologies to biomarker discovery in inflammatory lung diseases

Inflammatory lung diseases are highly complex in respect of pathogenesis and relationships between inflammation, clinical disease and response to treatment. Sophisticated large-scale analytical methods to quantify gene expression (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics), lipids (lipidomics) and metabolites (metabolomics) in the lungs, blood and urine are now available to identify biomarkers that define disease in terms of combined clinical, physiological and patho-biological abnormalities. The aspiration is that these approaches will improve diagnosis, i.e. define pathological phenotypes, and facilitate the monitoring of disease and therapy, and also, unravel underlying molecular pathways. Biomarker studies can either select predefined biomarker(s) measured by specific methods or apply an "unbiased" approach involving detection platforms that are indiscriminate in focus. This article reviews the technologies presently available to study biomarkers of lung disease within the 'omics field. The contributions of the individual 'omics analytical platforms to the field of respiratory diseases are summarised, with the goal of providing background on their respective abilities to contribute to systems medicine-based studies of lung disease.

An in vivo ratio control mechanism for phospholipid homeostasis: evidence from lipidomic studies

While it is widely accepted that the lipid composition of eukaryotic membranes is under homeostatic control, the mechanisms through which cells sense lipid composition are still the subject of debate. It has been postulated that membrane curvature elastic energy is the membrane property that is regulated by cells, and that lipid composition is maintained by a ratio control function derived from the concentrations of type II and type 0 lipids, weighted appropriately. We assess this proposal by seeking a signature of ratio control in quantified lipid composition data obtained by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry from over 40 independent asynchronous cell populations. Our approach revealed the existence of a universal 'pivot' lipid, which marks the boundary between type 0 lipids and type II lipids, and which is invariant between different cell types or cells grown under different conditions. The presence of such a pivot species is a distinctive signature of the operation in vivo, in human cell lines, of a control function that is consistent with the hypothesis that membrane elastic energy is homeostatically controlled.

Clinical review: Exogenous surfactant therapy for acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome--where do we go from here?

Acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are characterised by severe hypoxemic respiratory failure and poor lung compliance. Despite advances in clinical management, morbidity and mortality remains high. Supportive measures including protective lung ventilation confer a survival advantage in patients with ARDS, but management is otherwise limited by the lack of effective pharmacological therapies. Surfactant dysfunction with quantitative and qualitative abnormalities of both phospholipids and proteins are characteristic of patients with ARDS. Exogenous surfactant replacement in animal models of ARDS and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome shows consistent improvements in gas exchange and survival. However, whilst some adult studies have shown improved oxygenation, no survival benefit has been demonstrated to date. This lack of clinical efficacy may be related to disease heterogeneity (where treatment responders may be obscured by nonresponders), limited understanding of surfactant biology in patients or an absence of therapeutic effect in this population. Crucially, the mechanism of lung injury in neonates is different from that in ARDS: surfactant inhibition by plasma constituents is a typical feature of ARDS, whereas the primary pathology in neonates is the deficiency of surfactant material due to reduced synthesis. Absence of phenotypic characterisation of patients, the lack of an ideal natural surfactant material with adequate surfactant proteins, coupled with uncertainty about optimal timing, dosing and delivery method are some of the limitations of published surfactant replacement clinical trials. Recent advances in stable isotope labelling of surfactant phospholipids coupled with analytical methods using electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry enable highly specific molecular assessment of phospholipid subclasses and synthetic rates that can be utilised for phenotypic characterisation and individualisation of exogenous surfactant replacement therapy. Exploring the clinical benefit of such an approach should be a priority for future ARDS research.

Lipidomic profiling in Crohn's disease: abnormalities in phosphatidylinositols, with preservation of ceramide, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine composition

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition largely affecting the terminal ileum and large bowel. A contributing cause is the failure of an adequate acute inflammatory response as a result of impaired secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by macrophages. This defective secretion arises from aberrant vesicle trafficking, misdirecting the cytokines to lysosomal degradation. Aberrant intestinal permeability is also well-established in Crohn's disease. Both the disordered vesicle trafficking and increased bowel permeability could result from abnormal lipid composition. We thus measured the sphingo- and phospholipid composition of macrophages, using mass spectrometry and stable isotope labelling approaches. Stimulation of macrophages with heat-killed Escherichia coli resulted in three main changes; a significant reduction in the amount of individual ceramide species, an altered composition of phosphatidylcholine, and an increased rate of phosphatidylcholine synthesis in macrophages. These changes were observed in macrophages from both healthy control individuals and patients with Crohn's disease. The only difference detected between control and Crohn's disease macrophages was a reduced proportion of newly-synthesised phosphatidylinositol 16:0/18:1 over a defined time period. Shotgun lipidomics analysis of macroscopically non-inflamed ileal biopsies showed a significant decrease in this same lipid species with overall preservation of sphingolipid, phospholipid and cholesterol composition.

Lipidomics

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Lipidomics characterizes the composition of intact lipid molecular species in biological systems and the field has been driven by some spectacular advances in mass spectrometry instrumentation and applications. This review will highlight these advances and outline their recent application to address clinical issues.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review first identifies recent advances in lipid detection and analysis by a variety of mass spectrometry techniques, then reviews specific application including stable isotope labelling of lipids, lipid mass spectrometry imaging, data analysis and bioinformatics, and finally presents examples of the application of lipidomics to selected disease states.

SUMMARY

Lipidomics so far has been principally concerned with identifying novel methodologies, but recent advances demonstrating applications in diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cystic fibrosis and other respiratory diseases clearly indicate the potential usefulness of lipidomics both to generate biomarkers of disease and to probe signalling and metabolic processes.

Activation of sterol-response element-binding proteins (SREBP) in alveolar type II cells enhances lipogenesis causing pulmonary lipotoxicity

Pulmonary inflammation is associated with altered lipid synthesis and clearance related to diabetes, obesity, and various inherited metabolic disorders. In many tissues, lipogenesis is regulated at the transcriptional level by the activity of sterol-response element-binding proteins (SREBP). The role of SREBP activation in the regulation of lipid metabolism in the lung was assessed in mice in which both Insig1 and Insig2 genes, encoding proteins that bind and inhibit SREBPs in the endoplasmic reticulum, were deleted in alveolar type 2 cells. Although deletion of either Insig1 or Insig2 did not alter SREBP activity or lipid homeostasis, deletion of both genes (Insig1/2(Δ/Δ) mice) activated SREBP1, causing marked accumulation of lipids that consisted primarily of cholesterol esters and triglycerides in type 2 epithelial cells and alveolar macrophages. Neutral lipids accumulated in type 2 cells in association with the increase in mRNAs regulating fatty acid, cholesterol synthesis, and inflammation. Although bronchoalveolar lavage fluid phosphatidylcholine was modestly decreased, lung phospholipid content and lung function were maintained. Insig1/2(Δ/Δ) mice developed lung inflammation and airspace abnormalities associated with the accumulation of lipids in alveolar type 2 cells, alveolar macrophages, and within alveolar spaces. Deletion of Insig1/2 activated SREBP-enhancing lipogenesis in respiratory epithelial cells resulting in lipotoxicity-related lung inflammation and tissue remodeling.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life threatening respiratory failure due to lung injury from a variety of precipitants. Pathologically ARDS is characterised by diffuse alveolar damage, alveolar capillary leakage, and protein rich pulmonary oedema leading to the clinical manifestation of poor lung compliance, severe hypoxaemia, and bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph. Several aetiological factors associated with the development of ARDS are identified with sepsis, pneumonia, and trauma with multiple transfusions accounting for most cases. Despite the absence of a robust diagnostic definition, extensive epidemiological investigations suggest ARDS remains a significant health burden with substantial morbidity and mortality. Improvements in outcome following ARDS over the past decade are in part due to improved strategies of mechanical ventilation and advanced support of other failing organs. Optimal treatment involves judicious fluid management, protective lung ventilation with low tidal volumes and moderate positive end expiratory pressure, multi-organ support, and treatment where possible of the underlying cause. Moreover, advances in general supportive measures such as appropriate antimicrobial therapy, early enteral nutrition, prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism and gastrointestinal ulceration are likely contributory reasons for the improved outcomes. Although therapies such as corticosteroids, nitric oxide, prostacyclins, exogenous surfactants, ketoconazole and antioxidants have shown promising clinical effects in animal models, these have failed to translate positively in human studies. Most recently, clinical trials with β2 agonists aiding alveolar fluid clearance and immunonutrition with omega-3 fatty acids have also provided disappointing results. Despite these negative studies, mortality seems to be in decline due to advances in overall patient care. Future directions of research are likely to concentrate on identifying potential biomarkers or genetic markers to facilitate diagnosis, with phenotyping of patients to predict outcome and treatment response. Pharmacotherapies remain experimental and recent advances in the modulation of inflammation and novel cellular based therapies, such as mesenchymal stem cells, may reduce lung injury and facilitate repair.

Specificity and rate of human and mouse liver and plasma phosphatidylcholine synthesis analyzed in vivo

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis by the direct cytidine diphosphate choline (CDP-choline) pathway in rat liver generates predominantly mono- and di-unsaturated molecular species, while polyunsaturated PC species are synthesized largely by the phosphatidylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (PEMT) pathway. Although altered PC synthesis has been suggested to contribute to development of hepatocarcinoma and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, analysis of the specificity of hepatic PC metabolism in human patients has been limited by the lack of sensitive and safe methodologies. Here we incorporated a deuterated methyl-D(9)-labled choline chloride, to quantify biosynthesis fluxes through both of the PC synthetic pathways in vivo in human volunteers and compared these fluxes with those in mice. Rates and molecular specificities of label incorporated into mouse liver and plasma PC were very similar and strongly suggest that label incorporation into human plasma PC can provide a direct measure of hepatic PC synthesis in human subjects. Importantly, we demonstrate for the first time that the PEMT pathway in human liver is selective for polyunsaturated PC species, especially those containing docosahexaenoic acid. Finally, we present a multiple isotopomer distribution analysis approach, based on transfer of deuterated methyl groups to S-adenosylmethionine and subsequent sequential methylations of PE, to quantify absolute flux rates through the PEMT pathway that are applicable to studies of liver dysfunction in clinical studies.

Recent advances in alveolar biology: some new looks at the alveolar interface

This article examines the manner in which some new methodologies and novel concepts have contributed to our understanding of how pulmonary surfactant reduces alveolar surface tension. Investigations utilizing small angle X-ray diffraction, inverted interface fluorescence microscopy, time of flight-secondary ion mass spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, two-photon fluorescence microscopy and electrospray mass spectroscopy are highlighted and a new model of ventilation-induced acute lung injury described. This contribution attempts to emphasize how these new approaches have resulted in a fuller appreciation of events presumably occurring at the alveolar interface.

Conditional deletion of Abca3 in alveolar type II cells alters surfactant homeostasis in newborn and adult mice

ATP-binding cassette A3 (ABCA3) is a lipid transport protein required for synthesis and storage of pulmonary surfactant in type II cells in the alveoli. Abca3 was conditionally deleted in respiratory epithelial cells (Abca3(Δ/Δ)) in vivo. The majority of mice in which Abca3 was deleted in alveolar type II cells died shortly after birth from respiratory distress related to surfactant deficiency. Approximately 30% of the Abca3(Δ/Δ) mice survived after birth. Surviving Abca3(Δ/Δ) mice developed emphysema in the absence of significant pulmonary inflammation. Staining of lung tissue and mRNA isolated from alveolar type II cells demonstrated that ∼50% of alveolar type II cells lacked ABCA3. Phospholipid content and composition were altered in lung tissue, lamellar bodies, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from adult Abca3(Δ/Δ) mice. In adult Abca3(Δ/Δ) mice, cells lacking ABCA3 had decreased expression of mRNAs associated with lipid synthesis and transport. FOXA2 and CCAAT enhancer-binding protein-α, transcription factors known to regulate genes regulating lung lipid metabolism, were markedly decreased in cells lacking ABCA3. Deletion of Abca3 disrupted surfactant lipid synthesis in a cell-autonomous manner. Compensatory surfactant synthesis was initiated in ABCA3-sufficient type II cells, indicating that surfactant homeostasis is a highly regulated process that includes sensing and coregulation among alveolar type II cells.