Surfactant protein A modulates neuroinflammation in adult mice upon pulmonary infection

One of the most common entry gates for systemic infection is the lung. In humans, pulmonary infections can lead to significant neurological impairment, ranging from acute sickness behavior to long-term disorders. Surfactant proteins (SP), essential parts of the pulmonary innate immune defense, have been detected in the brain of rats and humans. Recent evidence suggests that SP-A, the major protein component of surfactant, also plays a functional role in modulating neuroinflammation. This study aimed to determine whether SP-A deficiency affects the inflammatory response in the brain of adult mice during pulmonary infection.