title: Calcitonin gene-related peptide in human fetal lung and in neonatal lung disease.
abstract: The ontogeny of calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity (CGRP-IR) was evaluated immunohistochemically in 67 human fetal or newborn lungs previously analyzed for calcitonin immunoreactivity (CT-IR). CGRP-IR was present by 10 weeks of gestation in rare, solitary neuroendocrine (NE) cells of developing conducting airways in two of eight first-trimester lungs. During the second trimester, cells with CGRP-IR were found consistently (21/23 fetuses). However, the numbers of positively staining cells did not appear to increase in these fetuses or in third-trimester infants dying of non-pulmonary causes. The highest concentrations of CGRP-IR cells were seen in lungs of premature infants with advancing chronic lung disease associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). CGRP-IR was seen earlier in gestation and in greater numbers of NE cells than was calcitonin immunoreactivity (CT-IR) reported previously in these same fetal lungs (Lab Invest 52:52, 1985). Its presence paralleled that of CT-IR in postnatal chronic lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Stahlman
mesh_terms: D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000378:metabolism; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006819:Hyaline Membrane Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide