Effects of surfactant protein A and NaCl concentration on the uptake of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by THP-1 cells.

In the present study, we characterized a model system in which we examined the effects of human surfactant protein A (SP-A) on the uptake of a common human pulmonary pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, by a human monocytic/macrophage cell line, THP-1 cells. We found that SP-A significantly increases uptake of the bacteria in a dose-dependent manner. Bacterial uptake was temperature-dependent, because an effect of SP-A on bacterial uptake was observed at 37 degrees C and not at 4 degrees C. The continued presence of SP-A during the period when the bacteria and THP-1 cells were co-incubated was necessary for enhanced uptake. Pre-incubation of the bacteria or THP-1 cells with SP-A, followed by washing, abolished the effect of SP-A on bacterial uptake. The effect of SP-A could be inhibited by high concentrations of mannose, but was not affected by the removal or addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Finally, we observed that the SP-A-mediated increase in uptake of P. aeruginosa by THP-1 cells was optimal in a narrow (100 mM and 150 mM) range of NaCl concentrations. We conclude that SP-A enhances the THP-1 cell-mediated uptake of P. aeruginosa in a manner dependent on temperature, the concentration of SP-A, and the concentration of NaCl.