T cell polarisation in the Preterm Infant and its Impact on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

The chronic lung disease BPD is common in preterm babies, i.e. those born about two-thirds through a normal pregnancy. These babies are dependent on supplemental oxygen for months to years, and their doctors have no effective therapy. I examined blood samples from 51 preterm babies at birth and 4 other time points and found that BPD babies have specific immune polarisation patterns. This finding provides a new understanding of the process driving BPD and lays the foundation for repurposing of a group of existing medicines for use in these tiny patients, bringing hope for relief from this devastating disease.