Keratinocyte growth factor as a novel treatment in an in vivo human endotoxaemic model of lung injury

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In many severe illnesses, such as pneumonia or following a road traffic accident, people develop acute lung problems. For reasons that are unclear, their lungs fail and fill with water making breathing difficult and they require support in an intensive care unit. This is termed ?acute lung injury? (ALI). There is no effective treatment for ALI.The reason the lung fails involves damage to the delicate lining of cells that allow oxygen to pass into the body. This lining is called the alveolar epithelium. A protein called keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) improves lung repair by increasing the number of lining cells and helping them move to damaged parts of the lung. Humans produce KGF, however, patients who have ALI do not have enough and repair is inadequate.This study will investigate if additional KGF helps lung repair in an established clinical model of ALI.If effective, results of this study will lead to a clinical trial of this novel therapy in the prevention and treatment of ALI. This project will also provide new information about mechanisms in the development of ALI which could lead to new therapeutic targets.