Introduction

The alveolus is the gas-exchanging unit of the lung and is necessary for the absorption of oxygen and elimination of carbon dioxide. Impaired alveolar development (IAD) commonly occurs following premature birth and can lead to chronic lung disease (CLD, formerly known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia). Our laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanisms of normal alveolar development, how they are dysregulated in IAD, and how manipulation of critical processes in alveolar development might be able to improve lung function in CLD.

Our laboratory is focused on how matrix remodeling regulates alveolar development and how matrix and matrix proteases alter vasculogenesis in the developing lung. Certain matrix metaloproteinases have been shown important in alveolar development, but we have found that a serine protease, chymotrypsin-like elastase 1, is expressed in the lung, co-localizes with areas of elastase activity, and may be important in alveolar development. Impaired pulmonary vascular and microvascular development accompanies

IAD, and elastin peptides have been found to stimulate pulmonary vascular development. We are investigating the role that chymotrypsin-like elastase 1 may play in pulmonary microvascular development.

Contact Information

Brian Varisco MD

Professor of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Vice Chair of Research, Department of Pediatrics

Director of Laboratory Research, Arkansas Children’s Research Institute

Arkansas Children’s Research Institute

13 Children’s Way

● Slot 842

● Little Rock, AR 72202

BVarisco@uams.edu

Lab Members :

Andrea Edwards

Elham Shahreki

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Biomarker-Based Risk Stratification Tool in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Single-Center, Longitudinal Validation in a 2014-2019 Cohort

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Inflammatory and tissue injury marker dynamics in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome

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Comparison of 16 Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome-Associated Plasma Biomarkers With Changing Lung Injury Severity

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Machine learning-driven identification of the gene-expression signature associated with a persistent multiple organ dysfunction trajectory in critical illness

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Regulation of epithelial transitional states in murine and human pulmonary fibrosis

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Chymotrypsin-like Elastase-1 Mediates Progressive Emphysema in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis.

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Nuclear Factor-κB Keeps Basal Cells Undifferentiated in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

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CELA1 Mediates Progressive Emphysema in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

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Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Increases Lung Basal Cells via Increased Yap Signaling

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Role for Cela1 in Postnatal Lung Remodeling and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin-Deficient Emphysema

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Validation of a gene expression-based subclassification strategy for pediatric septic shock

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