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Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Instrumentation of Near-term Fetal Sheep for Multivariate Chronic Non-anesthetized Recordings
Published on: October 25, 2015
Intravenous lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary maturation and structural changes in fetal sheep
Boris W Kramer1, Andreas Ladenburger, Steffen Kunzmann
1Department of Pediatrics, Maastricht University Hospital Center, the Netherlands. bkra@paed.azm.nl
Background:
Antenatal pulmonary inflammation is associated with reduced risk for respiratory distress syndrome but with an increased risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) with impaired alveogenesis.
Objective:
We hypothesized that fetal systemic inflammation induced by intravenous (IV) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) would affect lung development in utero.
Study Design:
Twenty-one fetal sheep were instrumented (107 days gestational age). Control fetuses received saline (N = 12) and 9 in the study group received 100 ng of LPS IV 3 days after surgery. Animals were assessed for lung maturation and structure after 3 (N = 5) and 7 (N = 4) days.
Results:
Interleukin-6 concentration increased in the bronchoalveolar lavage more than 40-fold 3 days after LPS IV. Processing of pro-surfactant protein (SP)-B to mature SP-B and increased SP-B concentrations were shown 7 days after LPS IV. Deposition of elastin fibers at sites of septation was disturbed within 3 days after LPS IV.
Conclusion:
Lung maturation and disturbed lung structure occurred after short-term exposure to fetal inflammation and suggests new targeted therapies for BPD.
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