Protein oxidation by chronic pulmonary diseases in children.

The oxidation of proteins may play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory lung diseases, and may contribute to lung damage. However, the extent of oxidation and the distribution among proteins are not known for most pediatric lung diseases. In this work, protein oxidation was assessed as protein carbonyls. Bronchoalveolar lavages (BAL) from children with chronic lung diseases were investigated by dot-blot assay for content and for pattern of distribution of oxidized proteins by two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis and Western blotting. Significantly higher levels of protein oxidation than in healthy controls were determined in groups of patients with interstitial lung disease, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. The proteins most sensitive to oxidation were serum albumin, surfactant protein A, and alpha1-antitrypsin. Our data show increased oxidative stress in lungs of children with chronic pulmonary diseases, with significant interindividual variations. The extent of protein oxidation was proportional to the count of neutrophilic granulocytes in BAL fluid. These findings strongly support the concept that an abundance of reactive oxygen species produced during neutrophilic inflammation may be a deleterious factor, leading to pulmonary damage in these patients.