Genes with lower expression in macrophages from patients that eventually developed BPD (Fig. 1c) included the adhesion molecule versican (VCAN), the transcription factor ARID3A, and the transcription elongation factor TCEB2. Increased expression of the inflammatory chemokines CCL3 and CCL20 in day 1 samples from patients that developed BPD was confirmed by RT-PCR (Fig. 1d). This evidence concerns the gene VCAN and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.