Pulmonary surfactant protein D (SP-D) has been studied as part of an analytical chemistry process investigating the circumstances surrounding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is a malady in which the airways become constricted or otherwise blocked, reducing the amount of oxygen which is able to enter the body.
It can have related issues, such as difficulty in sleeping, with the analytical chemistry aiming to shed light on SP-D as a biomarker for disease progression in serum and for functional integrity of the lung.
The findings, published in Respiratory Research 2011, explain how gel electrophoresis allowed scientists to detect SP-D levels in pulmonary and serum samples.
Compared with smokers and non-smokers of different ages, COPD sufferers showed higher serum levels and lower pulmonary presence of SP-D.
This, the researchers conclude, is an indication of the translocation of the protein during the disease, leading them to support the argument that SP-D can serve as a valid and stable biomarker for the condition.
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