Department / Division:
Pediatrics / Neonatology

Address:
DUMC 3373
Durham, NC 27710

Appointment Telephone:
919-681-6030

Office Telephone:
919-681-6035

Fax Telephone:
919-668-3361

• MD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, 1981

• Pediatrics, University of Rochester (New York), 1981-1984

• Neonatal Medicine, University of Rochester (New York), 1987-1990

Clinical Interests:
Critically ill newborns, newborns with congenital malformations, severe respiratory failure, ECMO, high-frequency ventilation, nitric oxide

Research Interests:
Laboratory Investigations
Inflammation and oxidative stress impair perinatal alveolar and airway development. We are using transgenic mouse models and pharmacologic blockade of leukocyte influx and functions to study the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We are studying the capacity of specialized transit amplifying or stem cells in the distal lung to contribute to alveolar development and regeneration, which are critical to early and late pathophysiology of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and its sequelae.  

Prenatal environmental exposures are linked to later respiratory morbidity in children and adults. We are studying how complex maternal and neonatal air pollutant exposures affect postnatal lung development and function using animal models, as part of an EPA-funded Children's Environmental Health Center.

Nitric oxide-sensitive pathways regulate pre- and post-natal lung development but may do so through S-nitrosation in addition to or instead of through catalysis of guanylyl cyclase.  We are studying S-nitrosation-dependent pathways important to postnatal lung development, and the physical and biochemical barriers to inhaled nitric oxide and inhaled S-nitrosothiol-based treatments, including ethyl nitrite.
   
Clinical/Applied
We are studying inhaled nitric oxide and nitric oxide containing compounds to modulate inflammation and prevent sequelae of prematurity, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, intraventricular hemorrhage, and impaired neurodevelopmental outcomes in pre-clinical projects.

Representative Publications:
Rawlins EL, Okubo T, Xue Y, Brass DM, Auten RL, Hasegawa H, Wang F, Hogan BL. The role of Scgb1a1+ Clara cells in the long-term maintenance and repair of lung airway, but not alveolar, epithelium.  Cell Stem Cell.  2009 Jun 5;4(6):525-34. (2009) Abstract

Marshall HE, Potts EN, Kelleher ZT, Stamler JS, Foster WM, Auten RL. Protection from LPS-Induced Lung Injury by Augmentation of Airway S-Nitrosothiols. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009 Mar 26. (2009) Abstract

Kallapur SG, Moss TJ, Auten RL Jr, Nitsos I, Pillow JJ, Kramer BW, Maeda DY, Newnham JP, Ikegami M, Jobe AH. IL-8 signaling does not mediate intra-amniotic LPS-induced inflammation and maturation in preterm fetal lamb lung. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2009 Sep;297(3):L512-9. (2009) Abstract

Auten RL, Potts EN, Mason SN, Fischer B, Huang Y, Foster WM. Maternal Exposure to Particulate Matter Increases Postnatal Ozone-Induced Airway Hyperreactivity in Juvenile Mice.  Am J Respir Crit Care Med.  2009 Sep 17. (2009) Abstract

Auten RL, Mason SN, Auten KM, Brahmajothi M. Hyperoxia Impairs Postnatal Alveolar Epithelial Development via NADPH oxidase in Newborn Mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2009 May 1. (2009) Abstract

Auten RL, Davis JM. Oxygen Toxicity and Reactive Oxygen Species: The Devil is in the Details. Pediatr Res. 2009 Apr 22. (2009) Abstract

Granillo OM, Brahmajothi MV, Li S, Whorton AR, Mason SN, McMahon TJ, Auten RL. Pulmonary Alveolar Epithelial Uptake of S-nitrosothiols is Regulated by L-Type Amino Acid Transporter.  Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol.  2008 Apr 25. (2008) Abstract

Chitano P, Wang L, Mason SN, Auten RL, Potts EN, Foster WM, Sturrock A, Kennedy TP, Hoidal JR, Murphy TM. Airway smooth muscle relaxation is impaired in mice lacking the p47phox subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2008 Jan;294(1):L139-48. (2008) Abstract

Auten RL, Mason SN, Whorton MH, Lampe WR, Foster WM, Goldberg RN, Li B, Stamler JS, Auten KM. Inhaled Ethyl Nitrite Prevents Hyperoxia-Impaired Postnatal Alveolar Development in Newborn Rats.  Am J Respir Crit Care Med.  2007 May 3. (2007) Abstract

Liao L, Ning Q, Li Y, Wang W, Wang A, Wei W, Liu X, Auten RL, Tanswell AK, Luo X. CXCR2 blockade reduces radical formation in hyperoxia-exposed newborn rat lung. Pediatr Res. 2006 Sep;60(3):299-303. (2006) Abstract

Kinsella JP, Cutter GR, Walsh WF, Gerstmann DR, Bose CL, Hart C, Sekar KC, Auten RL, Bhutani VK, Gerdes JS, George TN, Southgate WM, Carriedo H, Couser RJ, Mammel MC, Hall DC, Pappagallo M, Sardesai S, Strain JD, Baier M, Abman SH. Early inhaled nitric oxide therapy in premature newborns with respiratory failure. N Engl J Med. 2006 Jul 27;355(4):354-64. (2006) Abstract

Auten RL, O'Reilly MA, Oury TD, Nozik-Grayck E, Whorton MH. Transgenic extracellular superoxide dismutase protects postnatal alveolar epithelial proliferation and development during hyperoxia. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2006 Jan;290(1):L32-40. (2006) Abstract

Yi M, Jankov RP, Belcastro R, Humes D, Copland I, Shek S, Sweezey NB, Post M, Albertine KH, Auten RL, Tanswell AK. Opposing effects of 60% oxygen and neutrophil influx on alveologenesis in the neonatal rat.  Am J Respir Crit Care Med.  2004 Dec 1;170(11):1188-96. (2004) Abstract

Vozzelli MA, Mason SN, Whorton MH, Auten RL Jr. Antimacrophage chemokine treatment prevents neutrophil and macrophage influx in hyperoxia-exposed newborn rat lung. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2004 Mar;286(3):L488-93. (2004) Abstract

Ahmed MN, Suliman HB, Folz RJ, Nozik-Grayck E, Golson ML, Mason SN, Auten RL. Extracellular superoxide dismutase protects lung development in hyperoxia-exposed newborn mice. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003 Feb 1;167(3):400-5. (2003) Abstract

Auten RL, Whorton MH, Nicholas Mason S. Blocking neutrophil influx reduces DNA damage in hyperoxia-exposed newborn rat lung. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2002 Apr;26(4):391-7. (2002) Abstract

Madianos PN, Lieff S, Murtha AP, Boggess KA, Auten RL Jr, Beck JD, Offenbacher S. Maternal periodontitis and prematurity. Part II: Maternal infection and fetal exposure. Ann Periodontol. 2001 Dec;6(1):175-82. (2001) Abstract

Auten RL, Richardson RM, White JR, Mason SN, Vozzelli MA, Whorton MH. Nonpeptide CXCR2 antagonist prevents neutrophil accumulation in hyperoxia-exposed newborn rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2001 Oct;299(1):90-5. (2001) Abstract

Auten RL Jr, Mason SN, Tanaka DT, Welty-Wolf K, Whorton MH. Anti-neutrophil chemokine preserves alveolar development in hyperoxia-exposed newborn rats. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2001 Aug;281(2):L336-44. (2001) Abstract

Deng H, Mason SN, Auten RL Jr. Lung inflammation in hyperoxia can be prevented by antichemokine treatment in newborn rats. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000 Dec;162(6):2316-23. (2000) Abstract

Allred TF, Mercer RR, Thomas RF, Deng H, Auten RL. Brief 95% O2 exposure effects on surfactant protein and mRNA in rat alveolar and bronchiolar epithelium. Am J Physiol. 1999 Jun;276(6 Pt 1):L999-L1009. (1999) Abstract

Aderibigbe AO, Thomas RF, Mercer RR, Auten RL Jr. Brief exposure to 95% oxygen alters surfactant protein D and mRNA in adult rat alveolar and bronchiolar epithelium. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1999 Feb;20(2):219-27. (1999) Abstract

Clyde BL, Chang LY, Auten RL, Ho YS, Crapo JD. Distribution of manganese superoxide dismutase mRNA in normal and hyperoxic rat lung. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1993 May;8(5):530-7. (1993) Abstract

Horowitz S, Watkins RH, Auten RL Jr, Mercier CE, Cheng ER. Differential accumulation of surfactant protein A, B, and C mRNAs in two epithelial cell types of hyperoxic lung. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1991 Dec;5(6):511-5. (1991) Abstract

Auten RL, Notter RH, Kendig JW, Davis JM, Shapiro DL. Surfactant treatment of full-term newborns with respiratory failure. Pediatrics. 1991 Jan;87(1):101-7. (1991) Abstract

Auten RL, Watkins RH, Shapiro DL, Horowitz S. Surfactant apoprotein A (SP-A) is synthesized in airway cells. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 1990 Nov;3(5):491-6. (1990) Abstract