Influence of Composition and Temperature on Dynamic Properties of Mixed Monolayers of Pulmonary Lipids

Abstract

The main component of pulmonary surfactant is dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which reduces the surface tension almost to zero when the lung surface is compressed, thus preventing the alveolus from collapse in the course of exhalation. In this work the methods of the surface rheology have been employed to determine the influence of six pulmonary lipids on the dynamic surface properties of a DPPC monolayer at different temperatures and in a wide range of surface tensions. Particular attention has been paid to the region of low surface tensions (lower than 25 mN/m) at temperatures of 25 and 35°С, with these conditions being close to the physiological state on the internal surface of lungs. The addition of lipids with similar molecular structures to DPPC does not affect significantly the dynamic surface properties at a temperature of 25°C. At the same time, the addition of these lipids increases the surface elasticity in the region of low surface tensions at 35°С. However, under these conditions, the presence of lipids with unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals in the surface layer leads to the opposite effect and hinders the achievement of low surface tensions during slow compression. The results obtained have shown the possibility to control the properties of the lipid/DPPC mixed monolayer, which can be considered which can be considered as a model of pulmonary surfactant.