Researchers spot molecular control switch for preterm lung disorders

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have made major discoveries that could lead to new treatments for lung disorders in premature babies. In a mouse study, the team located key molecules that switch on stress pathways in preterm lung disorders, and also found that when parts of these pathways were blocked with a pain drug, lung damage was prevented or reversed. The findings are published online ahead of print in the March issue of American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common chronic lung disease in premature infants and does not have any specific treatment. The disorder affects about 97% of infants with birth weights below 1,250 grams, and can lead to repeated respiratory tract infections, as well as to emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adulthood. A research team led by Dr. Vineet Bhandari , associate professor of pediatric neonatology and obstetrics, gynecology & reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, theorized that if the molecules that cause these disorders can be blocked early on, they could essentially prevent lifelong lung problems. Bhandari and his team studied the lung tissue of newborn mice.