Grant: Project Grant

Every day, 150 babies are born worldwide with a hole in the diaphragm and abnormal lung development. This disease is called congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Almost one-third of these babies die because they have abnormally developed lungs which makes it hard for them to breathe. It is currently not possible to predict how these babies will do after birth when the diagnosis is made in a pregnant mother. We have discovered that a particular class of biomolecules - circular pieces of genetic code called circular RNAs - can be used to predict the outcome in CDH babies when the diagnosis is made. We will study profiles of circular RNAs in CDH biofluids such as amniotic fluid and compare them with profiles from control patients. We will use a rat model of CDH and human lung CDH lung samples to determine where these circular RNAs are localized. Finally, we will remove the most abundant circular RNAs from lung cells and explanted control and CDH rat lungs to determine the role of circular RNAs in normal and abnormal lung development. Our research team consists of an international team of experts in CDH and circular RNAs. Results from our studies will help to better predict outcomes in mothers who are pregnant from a CDH baby. We will also learn more about how abnormal lung development occurs in CDH.