PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - C. S. H. Ng
AU  - S. Wan
AU  - A. P. C. Yim
TI  - Pulmonary ischaemia–reperfusion injury: role of apoptosis
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.05.00030304
DP  - 2005 Feb 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 356--363
VI  - 25
IP  - 2
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/25/2/356.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/25/2/356.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2005 Feb 01; 25
AB  - The central role of lung ischaemia–reperfusion injury in pulmonary dysfunction after cardiac surgery, particularly thoracic organ transplantation, has been well recognised. Lung tissue necrosis after prolonged ischaemia is known to worsen lung function, which was believed to be due largely to adjacent tissue inflammation. Recent studies suggest that lung apoptosis following ischaemia–reperfusion could be equally important in the development of post-operative lung dysfunction. The current literature on the mechanism and pathways involved in pulmonary dysfunction and, in particular, its relationship with apoptosis after lung ischaemia–reperfusion is briefly reviewed here. A better understanding of lung apoptosis, as well as the upstream pathways, may help in the development of therapeutic strategies that could benefit patients undergoing cardiac and lung transplantation.