Minced Calf Lung Surfactant Extract Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells to Release IFN-γ and TGF-β: A Regulation Response for Lung

Inflammatory reactions in pathophysiologic conditions of lung are a critical problem in the treatment process, which in some cases lead to death, particularly in neonate. Exogenous lung surfactant has been considered as a candidate to treatment of inflammation in the lungs.

The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of this substance in vivo and in vitro.

Calf lung surfactant extract (CLSE) was obtained from freshly slaughtered calves’ minced isolates. For in vivo study: the New Zealand white rabbits as appropriate animal model were treated with formulated CLSE, then peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected and the level and gene expression of IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ and TGF-β were assessed before and after surfactant treatment for 30 days. In vitro study: four different formulated drug concentrations were added to rabbit PBMC and cytokines level and gene expression were evaluated.

Our results indicate that IFN-γ and TGF-β increased at 24, 48 and 72 h which were statistically significant compared to baseline. While, IL-6 and IL-1β also started to decrease, IFN-γ and TGF-β increased due to surfactant therapy which reached its maximum expression after 7 days.

This study suggested that CLSE could contribute in reducing pathology effects of pro-inflammatory cytokines by inducing regulatory response in lung which can be used as auxiliary and protective drug in respiratory diseases.