The Role of IL-33 Signaling in Airway Epithelial Cell Development and Repair in BPD

Illustration of injury to cells We study type 2 inflammation and the IL-33/amphiregulin (Areg) axis in the developing lung. Areg is an EGF family member that governs epithelial repair through promoting extracellular matrix deposition as well as expression of proteases, but its role in neonatal lung injury is unknown. We hypothesize that Areg is critical for airway epithelial cell differentiation, altering barrier integrity and ECM production during neonatal lung injury. This project uses a comparative medicine approach with neonatal mice and samples from premature infants.

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