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Breathe easy with the protein LPCAT1

Date:
April 26, 2010
Source:
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Summary:
The leading cause of death in infants born prematurely is respiratory distress syndrome. It is caused by deficiency in a fat-protein complex known as lung surfactant, which is critical for optimal gas exchange in the lung. New research indicates that the protein LPCAT1 has a crucial role in surfactant generation in vivo in mice and that LPCAT1 activity must be maximal for the transition from the womb to air breathing.
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The leading cause of death in infants born prematurely is respiratory distress syndrome. It is caused by deficiency in a fat-protein complex known as lung surfactant, which is critical for optimal gas exchange in the lung. LPCAT1 is a recently identified mouse lung protein predicted, based on in vitro assays, to be involved in the generation of surfactant.

Now, John Shannon and colleagues, at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, have demonstrated that LPCAT1 has a crucial role in the generation of surfactant in vivo in mice and that the activity of this protein must be maximal for the transition from the womb to air breathing.

They therefore speculate that decreased LPCAT1 expression, as a result of mutations in the gene responsible for making this protein, might underlie the fatal respiratory distress syndrome observed in a subset of newborn infants.

The research appears in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Journal of Clinical Investigation. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. James P. Bridges, Machiko Ikegami, Lauren L. Brilli, Xueni Chen, Robert J. Mason and John M. Shannon. LPCAT1 regulates surfactant phospholipid synthesis and is required for transitioning to air breathing in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2010; DOI: 10.1172/JCI38061

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Journal of Clinical Investigation. "Breathe easy with the protein LPCAT1." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 April 2010. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100419172850.htm>.
Journal of Clinical Investigation. (2010, April 26). Breathe easy with the protein LPCAT1. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 29, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100419172850.htm
Journal of Clinical Investigation. "Breathe easy with the protein LPCAT1." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100419172850.htm (accessed March 29, 2024).

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