The Comparative Effects of Endogenous, Synthetic and Selective Glucocorticoids during Lung Development

The studies presented in this thesis gains a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind steroid treatment of premature babies by characterising and comparing the different gene expressed in isolated lung cells treated with synthetic or normal steroids. Our findings suggest that synthetic steroids induce a stronger gene response for a large number of genes when compared to natural steroids. This unique gene signature is one that favours upregulated genes over repressed genes suggesting that steroid induced fetal lung development is more dependent on induced genes. This will ultimately lead to the development of new treatment approaches for premature babies