Surfactant proteins as protective factors in bronchial asthma

Turovskaya A.A., Kostina E.M., Orlova E.A., Trushina E.Yu.

Penza Institute for Further Training of Physicians – Branch Campus of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Further Professional Education «Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education» of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Penza, Russia

Bronchial asthma remains a serious global health problem affecting all age groups. This disease causes significant damage to the health care system and society. The problem of late diagnosis of bronchial asthma in children remains relevant today. The article presents data on surfactant proteins as protective factors of the respiratory tract. The main function – the reduction of surface tension in the alveoli at the air-water phase boundary – is carried out due to the lipid fraction and hydrophobic surfactant proteins B and C. Hydrophilic proteins A and D are involved in the implementation of the immune response. They act as immunomodulatory factors, actively contribute to phagocytosis, alternatively affect the activity of mast, dendritic cells, lymphocytes and alveolar macrophages. These apoproteins regulate the processes of apoptosis, play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic reactions, preventing the development of IgE-dependent inflammation. Both proteins are alternatively able to influence the type of immune response, being the so-called regulators of the immunological environment. The described pneumoproteins can probably be used as biomarkers of the severity of the course of bronchial asthma.