Carter, Cynthia M.

This study identifies 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) as a previously unrecognized regulator of neonatal airway epithelial development. In our neonatal patient-derived three-dimensional organotypic model, hyperoxia reduces MPST, and MPST loss alters mitochondrial metabolism and epithelial differentiation programs. These findings indicate that MPST deficiency contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction under hyperoxic conditions and highlight MPST-linked pathways as potential therapeutic targets to mitigate early-life airway injury and remodeling relevant to infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD).