Gene Protects Preemies from Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Monday, January 7, 2008 13:52Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have determined that a gene which affects the severity of a variety of serious lung conditions, including asthma and cystic fibrosis, also affects fetal lung maturity. These researchers have shown that premature mouse pups bred to have low levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) had less developed lungs. They also had decreased levels of other molecules that promote lung maturation.
The link between MIF and lung maturity is important, because immature lung development is the underlying cause of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). RDS is common in preemies, and although we are getting better at keeping babies with respiratory distress syndrome alive with surfactant and mechanical ventilation, these babies remain at high risk for chronic lung disease and asthma. Researchers plan to pursue future research to determine whether variants of the MIF gene impact the severity of chronic lung disease.
The study was published in the January 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of Immunology.
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