High oxygen levels in newborns may cause aging of immune cells and lung damage through a stress-related protein pathway

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is linked to cellular senescence in alveolar macrophages following neonatal hyperoxic exposure.

• BPD is a chronic lung disease affecting premature infants who receive ventilatory support and hyperoxia.
• The condition involves simplification of alveoli and blood vessels in the lungs.
• Cellular senescence, a process where cells lose their ability to divide, is observed in alveolar macrophages after exposure to high oxygen levels.
• The specific mechanisms behind senescence in these cells and its impact on lung injury are not yet fully understood.

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