New Insights into Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Angiogenesis as a Key Target

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease affecting around 15,000 premature infants annually in the U.S., driven by mechanical ventilation and hyperoxia. Each infant with BPD incurs an average cost of $225,000 for initial hospitalization, with severe cases often leading to long-term complications like pulmonary hypertension and neurodevelopmental impairment, exacerbating the socioeconomic burden. The “vascular hypothesis” posits that impaired angiogenesis may lead to the simplified alveolarization characteristic of BPD. Preclinical studies support the role of angiogenesis in alveolar formation, suggesting that promoting angiogenesis could prevent lung damage in hyperoxia-induced injuries. Targeting endothelial cells and angiogenic pathways, including VEGF and Notch signaling, may offer novel therapeutic approaches to mitigate BPD progression and associated comorbidities.