Maternal Inflammation in Late Gestation Alters Vaccine-Induced Immune Responses in Adult Murine Offspring

Background: Intrauterine inflammation, commonly presenting as chorioamnionitis, is variably linked to preterm birth, neonatal infections and postnatal chronic inflammatory disorders. However, the effects of systemic maternal inflammation on exposed fetuses and offspring are less clear. We previously reported inflammatory responses in murine pups born after brief gestational exposure to experimental maternal inflammation. These findings led us to hypothesize that fetal exposure to maternal inflammation could lead to persistent alterations in postnatal immunity. Objective: To test our hypothesis, we examined immune responses to vaccination, a useful measure of immune status, in young adult offspring with late gestational exposure to maternal LPS. Design/Methods: s. Lung and spleen immune responses were assessed by multi-parameter flow cytometry, protein microarray and RT-PCR. Results: gene expression levels relative to those of naive LPS-exposed mice. Conclusion: Our present murine studies show that experimental maternal inflammation during late gestation can alter immune response patterns to secondary challenge in young adult offspring. However, whether such intrauterine inflammatory exposure might also influence protective immune function remains to be determined. Our findings lead us to speculate that fetal exposure to systemic maternal inflammation in humans could have long-term implications for protective immunity.