摘要
Unresolved pulmonary inflammation in hyaline membrane disease (HMD) may be a p recursor to the development of chronic lung disease of early infancy. We investi gated whether nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a transcription factor that regulate s the inflammatory process, is activated in pulmonary leukocytes in tracheal asp irates from premature infants with HMD. A total of 172 samples were obtained fro m 59 infants, two thirds of whom showed NF-κB activation in lung neutrophils a nd macrophages on at least one occasion. Infants who had activated NF-κB showe d elevated tumor necrosis factor-αconcentrations in their tracheal aspirates. These infants also required a longer period of mechanical ventilation support. A lmost half of the infants with HMD had antenatal exposure to chorioamnionitis on the basis of placental histopathologic examination. These infants had evidence of activated NF-κB and elevated cytokines and were more likely to have Ureapla sma urealyticum colonization in their airways. Together, these observations sugg est that NF-κB activation in pulmonary leukocytes may be involved in the lung inflammatory process in infants with HMD.
Unresolved pulmonary inflammation in hyaline membrane disease (HMD) may be a p recursor to the development of chronic lung disease of early infancy. We investi gated whether nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), a transcription factor that regulate s the inflammatory process, is activated in pulmonary leukocytes in tracheal asp irates from premature infants with HMD. A total of 172 samples were obtained fro m 59 infants, two thirds of whom showed NF-κB activation in lung neutrophils a nd macrophages on at least one occasion. Infants who had activated NF-κB showe d elevated tumor necrosis factor-αconcentrations in their tracheal aspirates. These infants also required a longer period of mechanical ventilation support. A lmost half of the infants with HMD had antenatal exposure to chorioamnionitis on the basis of placental histopathologic examination. These infants had evidence of activated NF-κB and elevated cytokines and were more likely to have Ureapla sma urealyticum colonization in their airways. Together, these observations sugg est that NF-κB activation in pulmonary leukocytes may be involved in the lung inflammatory process in infants with HMD.
