LPS versus Poly I:C model: comparison of long-term effects of bacterial and viral maternal immune activation on the
Mian Bao1, Naomi Hofsink1, Torsten Plösch1,2
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Insights
Maternal immune activation during pregnancy, from infections like COVID-19, can impact offspring's long-term health. This review compares bacterial and viral immune activation models to guide future research on developmental outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Immunology
- Developmental neuroscience
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlights risks of acute infection during pregnancy.
- Long-term health consequences for offspring due to maternal infection are a significant concern.
- Maternal immune activation (MIA) from infections can lead to adverse phenotypes in offspring across multiple organ systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare mechanisms of bacterial and viral MIA.
- To review long-term health outcomes in offspring following MIA.
- To guide the selection of appropriate animal models for MIA research.
Main Methods:
- Summarized outcomes from animal models using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Poly I:C.
- Focused on Toll-like receptor-mediated immune responses.
- Analyzed effects on neurodevelopment, immune response, circulation, metabolism, and reproduction.
Main Results:
- MIA can induce lasting changes in offspring across neurodevelopment, immunity, metabolism, and reproduction.
- Outcomes are influenced by factors including MIA agent dose, timing, route of administration, and animal species.
- Observed effects persist into later life stages.
Conclusions:
- Animal models like LPS and Poly I:C are valuable for studying MIA effects.
- Understanding MIA mechanisms is crucial for mitigating long-term offspring health risks.
- This review provides insights for selecting optimal animal models in future MIA studies.
Abstract:
A prominent health issue nowadays is the COVID-19 pandemic, which poses acute risks to human health. However, the long-term health consequences are largely unknown and cannot be neglected. An especially vulnerable period for infection is pregnancy, when infections could have long-term health effect on the child. Evidence suggests that maternal immune activation (MIA) induced by either bacteria or viruses presents various effects on the offspring, leading to adverse phenotypes in many organ systems. This review compares the mechanisms of bacterial and viral MIA and the possible long-term outcomes for the offspring by summarizing the outcome in animal LPS and Poly I:C models. Both models are activated immune responses mediated by Toll-like receptors. The outcomes for MIA offspring include neurodevelopment, immune response, circulation, metabolism, and reproduction. Some of these changes continue to exist until later life. Besides different doses and batches of LPS and Poly I:C, the injection day, administration route, and also different animal species influence the outcomes. Here, we specifically aim to support colleagues when choosing their animal models for future studies.
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