response for a wide variety of inhaled pathogens and
allergens.3 Human SP-A is encoded by two genes, SP-A1
and SP-A2.2
Bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from patients with
chronic bronchial asthma or pneumocystis pneumonia have
demonstrated increased SP-A.3 SP-A expression has also been
assessed in the sinonasalmucosa. In a semiquantitative study,
Dutton et al found elevated SP-A in themucosa of rabbits with
intercurrent sinusitis or antibiotic-treated sinusitis compared
with pathogen-free animals.4