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Surfactant protein D and asthma

Because of its structural uniqueness, specific localization and functional versatility, the lung collectin surfactant protein (SP)-D is an important major player of pulmonary immune processes. Recent publications indicated that collectins are potent modulators of the innate immune response in the lung and reports on human asthma and animal models suggested that they may be involved in allergen-induced airway changes. As this molecule is capable of inhibiting T cell activation and allergic inflammatory events, it is suggested that it may function as a local regulator of a T-helper type 2 (Th2) inflammation. Two reports in this issue of Clinical and Experimental Allergy provide further evidence for the importance of this molecule in allergic asthma. The first one by Koopmans et al. [1] shows that SP-D may be a valuable biomarker that increases in serum of patients following allergen exposure. The second paper by Schaub et al. [2] investigates the effects of the absence of this molecule in SP-D deficient mice during allergic airway inflammation.