Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2025

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels
05:31

Noninvasive Sampling of Mucosal Lining Fluid for the Quantification of In Vivo Upper Airway Immune-mediator Levels

Published on: August 7, 2017

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Early-life respiratory infections and developmental immunity determine lifelong lung health

Clare M Lloyd1, Sejal Saglani2

  • 1National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, London, UK. c.lloyd@imperial.ac.uk.

Nature Immunology
|July 6, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Early respiratory infections in children can impact lifelong lung health. Understanding the developing infant immune system, microbiome, and lung interactions is key to preventing long-term respiratory issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric immunology
  • Microbiome research
  • Respiratory medicine

Background:

  • Infants and young children frequently experience respiratory infections.
  • The developing immune system and maturing lungs in early life are vulnerable to infections.
  • Disturbances during this critical developmental window can lead to lifelong lung health consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline the molecular mechanisms of lung immune and structural cell interactions with microorganisms.
  • To define a healthy respiratory ecosystem in infants.
  • To understand how environmental exposures affect this ecosystem and lung health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current understanding of molecular mechanisms.
  • Analysis of the interplay between immune cells, structural cells, and the respiratory microbiome.
  • Examination of environmental factors influencing the respiratory ecosystem.

Main Results:

  • The infant immune system develops alongside the respiratory microbiome and lung maturation.
  • Early life respiratory infections and microbiome disturbances can alter developmental trajectories.
  • Environmental exposures significantly impact the respiratory immune network.

Conclusions:

  • Clarifying the components of a healthy respiratory ecosystem is crucial.
  • Understanding molecular interactions aids in mitigating harmful effects of infections.
  • Restoring lung immune health requires addressing microbiome and environmental influences.

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