Interaction of bacterial lipopolysaccharide with mouse surfactant protein C inserted into lipid vesicles

Infecton of the respiratory tract is a frequent cause of lung pathologies, morbidity, and death. When bacterial endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] reaches the alveolar spaces, it encounters the lipid-rich surfactant that covers the epithelium. Although binding of hydrophilic surfactant protein (SP) A and SP-D with LPS has been established, nothing has been reported to date on possible cross talks between LPS and hydrophobic SP-B and SP-C.