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Published on: May 4, 2020
Reinitiating lung development: a novel approach in the management of bronchopulmonary dysplasia
1Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, Sanhao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110004, China.
Insights
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants hinders lung development. New therapies using stem cells and growth factors aim to restore lung structure and function by promoting alveolarization and vasculogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Neonatology
- Pulmonology
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the primary chronic lung disease in preterm infants, associated with significant long-term health issues.
- Existing treatments for BPD primarily manage symptoms and ventilatory support, failing to address underlying developmental deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current understanding of lung development processes.
- To explore novel therapeutic strategies for BPD focused on reactivating lung development.
- To assess the potential of stem/progenitor cells and growth factors in restoring pulmonary homeostasis.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature review of lung development.
- Analysis of advancements in regenerative therapies for BPD.
- Evaluation of stem/progenitor cell differentiation and growth factor applications.
Main Results:
- Identified stem/progenitor cell differentiation and targeted growth factor expression as key to reactivating lung development.
- Highlighted therapies stimulating pulmonary vasculogenesis and alveolarization show promise.
- Assessed the potential of these approaches to restore lung structure and function.
Conclusions:
- Current BPD management is limited; new therapeutic avenues are essential.
- Stem/progenitor cells and growth factors offer a promising strategy to reinitiate lung development in BPD.
- These regenerative approaches hold potential for long-term restoration of pulmonary homeostasis.
Abstract:
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the predominant chronic lung disease in preterm infants, linked with various adverse long-term outcomes. Multiple prenatal and postnatal risk factors can impede lung development, leading to BPD. Current management of BPD relies heavily on pharmacotherapies and alterations in ventilatory strategies. However, these interventions only mitigate BPD symptoms without addressing underlying alveolar, vascular, structural, and functional deficiencies. Given the retarded lung development in infants with BPD and the limitations of existing modalities, new therapeutic approaches are imperative. The induced differentiation of stem/progenitor cells and the spatiotemporal expression patterns of growth factors associated with lung developmental processes are critical for lung development reactivation in BPD, which focuses on stimulating pulmonary vasculogenesis and alveolarization. This review summarizes the process of lung development and offers a comprehensive overview of advancements in therapies designed to reinitiate lung development in BPD. Furthermore, we assessed the potential of these therapies for maintaining lung homeostasis and effectively restoring pulmonary structure and function through stem/progenitor cells and growth factors, which have been widely researched.
