title: Ventilator-induced lung injury:  the role of gene activation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is a ubiquitous iatrogenic clinical problem in critical care. Aside from avoiding large tidal volumes, little progress has been made in identifying effective clinical strategies to minimize this injury. With recent rapid development in bioinformatics and high-throughput molecular technology, the genetic basis of lung injury has been intensively investigated. This review will describe recent insights and potential therapies developed in the field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Much progress has been made in delineating the possible genes and gene products involved in VILI through various mechanisms such as early induced genes, capillary leak, apoptosis, fibrin deposition, inflammatory cytokines, oxidative stress, disrupted angiogenesis, and neutrophil infiltration. Some studies have translated bench findings to the bedside in an attempt to identify clinically important genetic susceptibility, which could aid in the identification of at-risk individuals who might benefit from careful titration of mechanical ventilation. Genetic insights also provide candidate pharmaceutical approaches that may ameliorate VILI in the future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Much relevant information exists for investigators and clinicians interested in VILI. Future research will interlink evolving data to provide a more integrated picture of the molecular mechanisms involved in VILI enabling translation of the most promising candidate therapies.
authors.affiliation: University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngiam
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015870:Gene Expression; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013990:Tidal Volume / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D055397:Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012122:Ventilators, Mechanical / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger