Surfactant protein D in Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis

Purpose: To determine the importance of surfactant protein D in Pseudomonas keratitis. Methods: The surfactant D status of wild- type and surfactant D-deficient Black Swiss mice was confirmed by PCR reactions and immunoblot assay. Mouse corneas were infected with one of three strains of P. aeruginosa. At 1, 2, 3, and 6 days postinfection, eyes were scored by slit- lamp examination and bacteria per cornea quantified. Results: Infected wild- type mice had slit- lamp scores on 3 and 6 days postinfection that were significantly lower than those of surfactant D- deficient mice ( p <==.0185) and only wild- type mice recovered from the infection. On day 6 postinfection, the number of bacteria per cornea was found to be significantly lower in wild- type mice as compared to surfactant D- deficient mice ( p <==.0233). Conclusions: Surfactant D is important to the ocular innate host defense against Pseudomonas keratitis.