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Abstract

A novel hydrophobic surfactant-associated protein mixture, i.e., a SAP-6 proteins, has been isolated from pulmonary animal tissue. A small, novel pulmonary hydrophobic surfactant-associated SAP-6-Val protein having a molecular weight of about 6,000 daltons as determined by SDS-PAGE and about 3,500-4,000 daltons as determined by tricine-SDS-PAGE has been further isolated from the SAP-6 protein mixture. The amino acid residue compositions of the SAP-6-Val protein for human and bovine have been determined and disclosed. When a SAP-6-Val protein is combined with phospholipids, it enhances the surfactant-like activity of the phospholipids in lungs of animals and, therefore, uniquely imparts to the mixture significant pulmonary biophysical activity. Such a mixture results in enhanced adsorption of the phospholipids with properties similar to that of natural pulmonary surfactant material. SAP-6-Val proteins in combination with phospholipids is highly useful for replacing or supplementing natural pulmonary surfactant material for reducing or maintaining normal surface tension in lungs, and especially in lungs of patients suffering from hyaline membrane disease, HMD, or other syndromes associated with the lack or insufficient amounts of natural pulmonary surfactant material. A mixture of a SAP-6-Val protein and phospholipids may be administered as an aerosol spray or in aqueous normal saline with or without calcium chloride for treating or preventing HMD and other surfactant deficiency states. Also disclosed are methods of isolating the noncanine SAP-6-Val proteins from the SAP-6 proteins isolated from animal tissue.

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