Immunomodulatory Mechanisms of ILC2 in Lung Development: Emerging Insights Into Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Pathogenesis

ABSTRACT Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe lung disease affecting preterm infants. The incidence rate in preterm infants aged < 25 weeks is > 70% and it causes irreversible lung damage. BPD is a high‐risk factor for respiratory system infections in adults and allergic diseases, such as asthma, which cause a heavy burden on society and families. Pathological features of BPD include pulmonary inflammation and disorders of alveolar and vascular development, which lead to insufficient ventilation. The group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are recruited to the lungs during the critical window period of lung development and regulate lung development partly by secreting interleukin (IL)‐5 and IL‐13; however, the specific mechanism remains unclear. In this review, we summarise the stage of lung development, pathophysiological characteristics of BPD, the role of ILC2 in lung development, and its specific mechanism to provide evidence supporting ILC2 as a key immune cell in lung development, and has potential in BPD therapy.