More than 50 years after the first description of Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) by Northway, this chronic lung disease affecting many preterm infants is still poorly understood. Additonally, approximately 40% of preterm infants suffering from severe BPD also suffer from Bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension (BPD-PH), leading to a significant increase in total morbidity and mortality. Until today, there is no curative therapy for both BPD and BPD-PH available. It has become increasingly evident that growth factors are playing a central role in normal and pathologic development of the pulmonary vasculature. Thus, this review aims to summarize the recent evidence in our understanding of BPD-PH from a basic scientific point of view, focusing on the potential role of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)/FGF10 signaling pathway contributing to disease development, progression and resolution.
- Chao, C. M.
- Chong, L.
- Chu, X.
- Shrestha, A.
- Behnke, J.
- Ehrhardt, H.
- Zhang, J.
- Chen, C.
- Bellusci, S.
Keywords
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
- FGF signaling
- pulmonary hypertension
