DLL4 and newborn lung development in bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Official title: DLL4 in the Developing Lung and Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD)
Funded at Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo) · NIH-11308222 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether restoring a protein called DLL4 can help blood vessel and air sac growth in premature babies with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $550,907 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL162937-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11308222 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants born very prematurely who have or are developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are the most relevant group for this research.
✕Less likely to help
Children and adults with unrelated lung conditions or forms of lung disease not driven by disrupted DLL4-related vascular development are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers are using newborn mouse models and human lung cells to understand how DLL4, a protein made by blood vessel cells, helps the tiny air sacs and blood vessels form in the developing lung. They expose mice to high oxygen levels to mimic BPD and remove or reduce DLL4 in blood vessel cells to see what goes wrong. The team also studies human BPD lung samples and human lung endothelial cells to compare findings across species. Based on early results, they are testing whether the drug ciclesonide can reverse DLL4 changes and improve lung vessel and air sac development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that protect or repair blood vessels and air sacs in the lungs of premature infants with BPD, improving breathing and long-term lung health.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies, including the team's mouse and human cell experiments, show promising results for targeting DLL4 and for ciclesonide's effects on DLL4, but clinical trials in infants remain limited or untested.
Where this research is happening
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Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo)
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sampath, Venkatesh — Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo)
- Study coordinator: Sampath, Venkatesh
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Role of uneven lung growth in chronic lung disease from birth to adulthood
This grant explores how mismatched growth of airways, airspaces, and blood vessels during early life might lead to lasting lung problems in bronchopulmonary dysplasia and how that affects people over time.
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Regulatory T Cells and Lung Disease-Related High Blood Pressure in Adults
This project studies how a type of immune cell called regulatory T cells may influence inflammation and blood vessel changes in lung disease, with potential relevance to adults who have vascular issues in their lungs.
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Understanding how breathing effort in premature babies with lung disease comes from different lung problems
A research project aims to create a patient-specific tool to measure how different features of bronchopulmonary dysplasia contribute to the struggle to breathe in premature infants.
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Role of LKB1 in reduced lung blood vessel growth in BPD
Aims to understand how a cellular regulator (LKB1) affects blood vessel formation in the lungs of preterm infants at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
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A new approach to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants
A new treatment strategy aimed at improving lung development in premature babies at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
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L-Citrulline for BPD-related Pulmonary Hypertension in Preterm Babies
A first-in-human study will test safe and effective doses of L-citrulline given by mouth to stability-preterm infants at risk for lung blood pressure problems.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.