Identification of calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins (annexins) from guinea pig alveolar type II cells.

A new group of calcium-regulating proteins, called annexins or Ca(++)-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins (PLBP), have been detected in different species, organs and cell types. In the present study, we have identified and quantitated PLBP from guinea pig lung, lavage fluid and alveolar type II cells to elucidate the possible role of PLBP in lung surfactant biogenesis and secretion. Lungs were lavaged and type II cells from lavaged lung were isolated by elastase digestion and purified by centrifugal elutriation. For the quantitative identification of PLBP, we performed ELISA assays and Western blot analysis by using an antiserum raised in guinea pigs against a pure rabbit lung 36 kDa PLBP. The lavage fluid, cytosol from lung and type II cells contained 784, 167 and 435 ng per mg protein, respectively, of PLBP. The SDS-PAGE electrophoretic pattern and Western blot confirmed that all lung samples have band corresponding to a 36 kDa protein. This indicates that both alveolar type II cells and lavage fluid have higher levels of PLBP than whole lung cytosol.