Cathepsin H and napsin A are active in the alveoli and increased in alveolar proteinosis.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a group of rare diseases with disturbed homeostasis of alveolar surfactant. While 90% of the primary adult forms are caused by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor autoantibodies, the underlying cause of the juvenile form remains unknown. In order to distinguish primary from secondary effects in the pathogenesis of these two forms, the present authors studied the surfactant protein processing proteases napsin A and cathepsin H. In total, 16 controls, 20 patients with juvenile PAP and 13 adults with idiopathic PAP were enrolled. Amounts and activities of the proteases in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by immunoblotting and specific substrate cleavage. Both proteases were present and active in BALF from controls and increased in juvenile and adult PAP patients. The amount of active cathepsin H in relation to total cathepsin H was increased in PAP patients compared with controls. Cystatin C, the physiological inhibitor of cathepsin H in the alveolar space, was not increased to the same degree as cathepsin H, resulting in an imbalance of inhibitor to protease in the alveolar space. A general defect in napsin A or cathepsin H expression or activity was not the specific cause for abnormal surfactant accumulation in juvenile pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.