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Antenatal infection in the rabbit impairs post-natal growth and lung alveolarisation
C Gras-Le Guen1, C Denis, M-L Franco-Montoya
1Dept of Perinatology, Maternity and Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Nantes, France. christele.grasleguen@chu-nantes.fr
Insights
Antenatal infection in rabbits impaired postnatal growth and lung development, leading to abnormal alveolarization. This occurred despite effective maternal antibiotic treatment, suggesting a persistent impact of infection on development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Developmental Biology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Chorioamnionitis is linked to bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants.
- The impact of antenatal infection on lung development, even with antibiotic treatment, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of antenatal Escherichia coli infection on postnatal lung development in rabbits.
- To determine if antibiotic therapy can mitigate the consequences of intrauterine infection on lung development.
Main Methods:
- Pregnant rabbits were inoculated with E. coli or vehicle and treated with ceftriaxone.
- Offspring were assessed for growth, lung morphometry, and inflammatory markers post-birth.
- Lung alveolarization was evaluated using morphometric analysis.
Main Results:
- Intrauterine infection caused significant postnatal growth retardation by day 8.
- Impaired alveolarization was observed, characterized by decreased alveolar surface density and increased airspace volume.
- No inflammatory or apoptotic processes were detected in the lungs post-infection.
Conclusions:
- Antenatal infection leads to persistent postnatal growth and lung development abnormalities in rabbits, irrespective of antibiotic therapy.
- This rabbit model can be used to study the long-term effects of intrauterine infection on growth and pulmonary development.
- Early and effective antibiotic treatment does not fully prevent adverse pulmonary outcomes following antenatal infection.
Abstract:
Clinical and experimental studies indicate an association between chorioamnionitis and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants. The present authors hypothesised that, in the rabbit, antenatal infection may impair lung development after birth, despite effective maternal antibiotic therapy. Pregnant rabbits received an intra-uterine inoculation of 10(3) Escherichia coli colony forming units or vehicle at the end of gestation (day 29). Intravenous ceftriaxone therapy was initiated 8 h after inoculation for a period of 8 days. Pups born between 60 and 84 h after inoculation were kept with their mother until sacrifice on days 0, 1, 5, 8 and 15. Blood cultures from antenatally infected animals were sterile at birth. Postnatal growth was significantly impaired by day 8. Lung morphometry showed a significant decrease of alveolar surface density and interstitial density, with a significant increase of alveolar airspace volume, indicating impaired alveolarisation for the first 2 weeks of postnatal life. Inflammatory and apoptotic processes were not detected in the lung at birth or subsequently. Intra-uterine infection in rabbits is, therefore, responsible for concomitant postnatal growth retardation and abnormal pulmonary development despite early and effective antenatal antibiotic therapy. This may constitute an alternative model to study the consequences of antenatal infection on postnatal growth and lung development.
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