Pulmonary Trypsin-2 in the Development of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in Preterm Infants


* Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Departments of Surgery
Pathology
|| Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases and Institute of Dentistry
¶ Clinical Chemistry
# Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
Objectives. In the preterm infant, lung injury can lead to irreversible tissue destruction and abnormal lung development. We examined whether pulmonary trypsin, a potent matrix-degrading serine proteinase and proteinase-cascade activator, is associated with the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants.
Methods. Samples of tracheal aspirate fluid were collected from 32 intubated preterm infants during their first 2 postnatal weeks. The presence and molecular forms of trypsin in tracheal aspirate fluid samples were analyzed by zymography and Western blotting. The concentrations of trypsinogen-1 and -2 and tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor were measured by immunofluorometry. For examining the expression of trypsin-2 in lung tissue, immunohistochemistry was performed on autopsy specimens of fetuses, of preterm infants who died from respiratory distress syndrome or BPD, and of term infants without lung injury.
Results. In infants who subsequently developed BPD (n = 18), we detected significantly higher concentrations of trypsinogen-2 during postnatal days 5 to 10 compared with those who survived without it. There was no difference in trypsinogen-1 concentrations. Tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor concentrations were significantly lower in infants who needed mechanical ventilation for >1 week. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that trypsin-2 was predominantly expressed in bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium. In 2 preterm infants who died from prolonged respiratory distress syndrome, trypsin-2 was also expressed in vascular endothelium.
Conclusions. The levels of trypsinogen-2 are higher during postnatal days 5 to 10 in infants who subsequently develop BPD. The results suggest that high levels of pulmonary trypsin-2 may be associated with the development of BPD. This raises the possibility that therapy with exogenous proteinase inhibitors might prevent the development of BPD in preterm infants with respiratory distress.
Key Words: trypsin preterm infants respiratory distress syndrome bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Abbreviations: ECM, extracellular matrix BM, basement membrane MMP, matrix metalloproteinase PSTI, pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor TATI, tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor BPD, bronchopulmonary dysplasia RDS, respiratory distress syndrome TAF, tracheal aspirate fluid SD, standard deviation GA, gestational age BW, birth weight SC, secretory component IgA, immunoglobulin A L/S, lecithin/sphingomyelin aAPO2, arterial to alveolar oxygen tension ratio
Received for publication Aug 26, 2002; Accepted Feb 14, 2003.
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- need to look for anti-trypsin level
- samir r patel, et al.
- Pediatrics Online, 12 Sep 2003 [Full text]








