Roles of extracellular matrix in bronchopulmonary dysplasia: research progress

Abstract

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a kind of chronic lung diseases in premature infants after being treated with mechanical ventilation or oxygen therapy. With the development of neonatal survival rate, BPD has gradually become one of the most difficult problems in neonatal intensive care unit. Nowadays, the pathogenic mechanisms of BPD have not been well-elucidated. It may be associated with coordinated action of gene expression, cell-cell communication, physical forces, and cell interactions with the extracellular matrix (ECM), which involved in the regulation of normal lung development together. ECM is the dynamic mesh structure existing between cells, which consist of the structural protein, dystrophin-glycoprotein, fibrin, extracellular matrix molecules and remodeling enzymes. ECM plays an important role as the basis material of lung function. In this review, we will focus on the recent research progresses about the role of ECM in the pathogenesis of BPD. Key words: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Extracellular matrix; Infant, premature