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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
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A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
Published on: June 24, 2020
Gestational effects on host inflammatory response in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies
Jennifer A Brewster1, Nicolas M Orsi, Nadia Gopichandran
1Perinatal Research Group, The YCR & Liz Dawn Pathology & Translational Sciences Centre, Level 4, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, St James's University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK.
Summary
Pregnancy involves a natural increase in inflammation as gestation progresses. This heightened inflammatory response is observed in both normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies, potentially explaining late-onset disease.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Immunology
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Pre-eclampsia (PET) is a major cause of maternal and neonatal complications.
- The role of inflammation in PET pathophysiology is recognized, but its relationship with gestational age is not fully understood.
- Murine studies suggest a progressive increase in serum inflammatory profiles during normal gestation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the changes in inflammatory profiles during normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies in relation to gestational age.
- To determine if gestational age influences the inflammatory response in women with and without PET.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving control and PET groups (n=20 each), divided into early and late pregnancy (<34 and >34 weeks gestation).
- Whole blood samples were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and incubated.
- Analysis of a broad panel of cytokines and chemokines (e.g., IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, G-CSF, GM-CSF) using multiplex immunoassay.
Main Results:
- Pregnancy is characterized by an increasing inflammatory response with advancing gestational age.
- This phenomenon was consistently observed in both control pregnancies and those complicated by pre-eclampsia (P<0.01).
Conclusions:
- The progressive increase in inflammatory responsiveness with gestation may explain late-onset PET, even without placental pathology.
- This inflammatory priming may be a physiological mechanism preparing the mother for labor.
- Understanding these gestational age-related inflammatory changes is crucial for managing PET.
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