Immature Surfactant Protein B Increases in the Serum of Patients with Calcific Severe Aortic Stenosis

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences Vol. 25; no. 12; p. 6418
• Main Authors: Eligini, Sonia, Savini, Carlo, Ghilardi, Stefania, Mallia, Alice, Vieceli Dalla Sega, Francesco, Fortini, Francesca, Mikus, Elisa, Munno, Marco, Modafferi, Gloria, Agostoni, Piergiuseppe, Tremoli, Elena, Banfi, Cristina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 11.06.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Aged; Anticoagulants; Aortic stenosis; Aortic Valve - pathology; Aortic Valve - surgery; Aortic valve stenosis; Aortic Valve Stenosis - blood; Aortic Valve Stenosis - surgery; Biomarkers - blood; Calcinosis - blood; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular system; Case-Control Studies; Coronary vessels; Cytokines; Diabetes; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Metabolic disorders; Middle Aged; Proteins; Pulmonary hypertension; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B - blood; Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein B - metabolism; Smooth muscle; Surface active agents; Surfactants; Surgery; valve replacement; surfactant protein B; valvular disease
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126418

Valvular disease is a complex pathological condition that impacts countless individuals around the globe. Due to limited treatments, it is crucial to understand its mechanisms to identify new targets. Valve disease may result in pulmonary venous hypertension, which is linked to compromised functioning of the alveolar and capillary membranes and hindered gas exchange. Nonetheless, the correlation between surfactant proteins (SPs) and valve disease remains unexplored. A total of 44 patients were enrolled in this study, with 36 undergoing aortic valve replacement and 8 needing a second aortic valve substitution due to bioprosthetic valve degeneration. Ten healthy subjects were also included. The results showed that patients who underwent both the first valve replacement and the second surgery had significantly higher levels of immature SP-B (proSP-B) compared to control subjects. The levels of the extra-lung collectin SP-D were higher in patients who needed a second surgery due to bioprosthetic valve degeneration, while SP-A levels remained unchanged. The research also showed that there was no reciprocal relationship between inflammation and SP-D as the levels of inflammatory mediators did not differ between groups. The present study demonstrates that circulating proSP-B serves as a reliable marker of alveolar–capillary membrane damage in patients with valvular heart disease.