Gene Protects Newborns from Killer Respiratory Disease; Richard Bucala.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-3 January 2008-Yale University: Gene Protects Newborns from Killer Respiratory Disease; Richard Bucala(C)1994-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:03012008

New Haven, Conn. -- Yale School of Medicine researchers have isolated a gene that helps protect newborns from the most common respiratory cause of infant death in the United States--respiratory distress syndrome.

This gene, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), also helps fetal lungs develop, the researchers report this month in the Journal of Immunology.

The overt cause of respiratory distress syndrome is underdeveloped lungs--the more premature the newborns, the more likely they are to have a loss of lung volume caused by air space collapse and poorly...