CP4: a pneumocyte-derived collagenous surfactant-associated protein. Evidence for heterogeneity of collagenous surfactant proteins.

Type II pneumocytes secrete pulmonary surfactant and are known to synthesize SP-35, a collagenous surfactant-associated protein. Freshly isolated type II cells also synthesize other bacterial collagenase-sensitive and hydroxyproline-containing proteins, including a glycoprotein designated CP4. CP4 was isolated from rat pneumocyte culture medium by immune precipitation with polyclonal antibodies to rat surfactant proteins or by DEAE chromatography and reverse-phase or gel permeation HPLC. CP4 did not cross-react with polyclonal antibodies to SP-35 and was completely resolved from SP-35 by SDS-PAGE (Mr 43K reduced) or isoelectric focusing. Unlike SP-35, which consists of acidic isoforms assembled as disulfide-bonded dimers and multimers, CP4 was secreted as basic isoforms assembled as disulfide-bonded trimers. Differences in primary structure were demonstrated by CNBr and V8 protease peptide mapping. The secretion of both proteins was inhibited by 2,2'-dipyridyl, an inhibitor of posttranslational prolyl and lysyl hydroxylation and collagen triple helix formation. CP4 was isolated from EDTA extracts of rat surfactant. These studies provide evidence for the heterogeneity of pneumocyte-derived collagenous surfactant-associated proteins.