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BRONCHIAL SECRETIONS (ES) FROM PATIENTS WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF) CONTAIN FIBRONECTIN CLEAVING ACTIVITY

It has been suggested that the degradation of cell surface fibronectin by salivary hydrolases favors colonization of the airways of CF patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). In this study, we determined the fibronectin-cleaving and elastolytic activity of CF saliva and bronchial secretions (BS) compared to those of chronic bronchitics (CB).Fragments of 125I-fibronectin generated by BS analyzed with PAGE were identical in molecular weights to those generated by purified granulocyte elastase and cathepsin G. The 125I-fibronectin cleaving activity in BS from CB disappeared after adequate antimicrobial treatment, whereas that in CF BS did not. We conclude that 1) the fibronectin-cleaving activity in CF BS is due to granulocyte elastase and cathepsin G and is present in significantly lower amounts in saliva (p < 0.01) and 2) the continuous exposure to CF airways to fibronectin-cleaving activity may favor the colonization with PA.