Lung maturity in esophageal atresia: Experimental and clinical study

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Fragoso AC (Author) FMUP; Martinez L (Author) Other; Estevão-Costa J (Author) FMUP; Tovar JA (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Vol. 50

Pages: 1251-1259

ISSN: 0022-3468

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 5 Citations

Pubmed / Medline

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-NHM

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2015.06.015

Abstract (EN): Introduction: Esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF) survivors suffer respiratory morbidity of unclear pathogenesis. Defective lung morphogenesis has been described in the rat model. This study examined fetal lung growth and maturity in rats and patients with EA-TEF. Methods: Pregnant rats received either adriamycin or vehicle. Control and adriamycin-exposed lungs, with and without EA-TEF, were weighed and processed for RT-PCR, DNA quantification, immunofluorescence and immunoblot analysis of TTF1, VEGF, Sp-B, and alpha-sma. Twenty human lungs were also processed for immunofluorescence and Alcian-blue staining. Results: Lungs from fetuses with EA-TEF (E21) showed decreased total DNA; FGF7 and TTF1 mRNA expressions were upregulated at E15 and E18, respectively. Protein expression and immunofluorescent distribution of maturity markers were similar. Lungs from stillborns with EA-TEF showed decreased epithelial expression of Sp-B and VEGF whereas those from newborns tended to have less Sp-B and more VEGF and mucous glands. Discussion: The lungs of rats with EA-TEF were hypoplastic but achieved near-normal maturity. Stillborns with EA-TEF exhibited an apparently disturbed differentiation of the airway epithelium. Newborns with EA-TEF demonstrated subtle differences in the expression of differentiation markers, and increased number of mucous glands that could influence postnatal respiratory adaptation and explain some respiratory symptoms of EA-TEF survivors.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9