[Consequences of DNA damage and the relationship between respiratory diseases in childhood and in adult hood].

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that lung injury at an early postnatal age results in respiratory disease in later life. One mg/g body weight of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was injected intraperitoneally in suckling rats on day 6 after birth. The animals were sacrificed at 2 and 8 wk of age. Although the lungs of BrdU-treated animals at 2 wks of age were similar to those in the control animals, the BrdU-treated animals at 8 wks of age had an abnormal enlargement of airspace and an increased compliance. The results show that lungs injured cytogenetically in early postnatal life may develop pulmonary functional and structural abnormalities in later life.