EFFECT OF THYROID-HORMONE [T-3]-RESPONSIVE CHANGES IN SURFACTANT APOPROTEINS ON SURFACTANT FUNCTION DURING SEPSIS

Background: Lung surfactant phospholipids are altered during sepsis; t he role of surfactant apoproteins is unknown. This study investigates the effect of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) on surfactant function al effectiveness and apoprotein transcriptional activity with or witho ut T-3 replacement, Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats underwent sham l aparotomy or CLP with or without T-3 replacement, Lung compliance, sur factant adsorption, and surface tension were measured with a surfactom eter. Surfactant apoproteins A, B, and C (SP-A, SP-B, SP-C) mRNA was q uantified by Northern blot analysis, Results: Lung compliance was sign ificantly decreased by sep-sis; initial surface tension and adsorption values in CLP animals reflected apoprotein dysfunction, Sepsis decrea sed SP-A mRNA levels and increased SP-B mRNA; SP-C mRNA were unchanged , T-3 treatment improved compliance, adsorption, and ST isotherms in s eptic animals, Conclusion: T-3 attenuated sepsis-induced surfactant dy sfunction and SP-A and SP-B transcriptional changes during sepsis, Thi s suggests an interaction between the thyroid, surfactant apoproteins, and lung surfactant functional effectiveness and requires further stu dy.