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Updated: Aug 27, 2025
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
Pro-Inflammatory Profile of Children Exposed to Maternal Chikungunya Virus Infection during the Intrauterine Period:
Renan Faustino1, Fabiana Rabe Carvalho1, Thalia Medeiros1,2
1Multiuser Laboratory for Research Support in Nephrology and Medical Sciences (LAMAP), Hospital Universitario Antonio Pedro, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niteroi 24033-900, Brazil.
Insights
Maternal Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection during pregnancy can alter infant immune responses. CHIKV-exposed infants show increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting potential long-term health impacts requiring further study.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Neonatal Health
Background:
- Vertical transmission of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) occurs from mother to infant during pregnancy.
- The impact of intrauterine CHIKV exposure on infant immune system development remains largely unknown.
- Understanding these immune alterations is crucial for assessing neonatal health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate inflammatory changes in infants exposed to maternal CHIKV infection.
- To analyze circulating immune mediators in CHIKV-exposed neonates.
- To determine the effects of intrauterine CHIKV exposure on the developing infant immune profile.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study design.
- Inclusion of infants with confirmed maternal CHIKV infection (RT-qPCR/IgM).
- Multiplex assay used to analyze circulating immune mediators.
Main Results:
- CHIKV-exposed infants exhibited elevated levels of MIP-1α, MIP-1β, CCL-2, TNFα, IL-6, and IL-7.
- Lower levels of PDGF-BB and GM-CSF were observed in CHIKV-exposed infants.
- Principal Component analysis revealed distinct inflammatory profiles between exposed and unexposed groups.
Conclusions:
- Maternal CHIKV infection during pregnancy influences circulating pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in infants.
- These immune alterations persist during the first year of life.
- Long-term clinical implications of these findings warrant further investigation.
Abstract:
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) vertical transmission occurs due to maternal viremia in the prepartum. Clinical presentation in neonates can be varied; however, the consequences of intrauterine exposure on the immune response are unclear. Thus, we aimed to analyze inflammatory alterations in children exposed to maternal CHIKV infection. This is a cross-sectional study that included children exposed to maternal CHIKV infection (confirmed by RT-qPCR and/or IgM). Circulant immune mediators were analyzed by a multiplex assay. RESULTS: We included 33 children, with a mean age of 3 ± 2.9 months-old, and 19 (57.6%) were male. Only one child presented neurological alterations. CHIKV-exposed infants showed elevated levels of MIP-1α, MIP-1β, and CCL-2 (p < 0.05). Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα, IL-6, and IL-7 (p < 0.0001) were also increased. In addition, lower levels of PDGF-BB and GM-CSF were observed in the same group (p < 0.0001). Principal component (PC) analysis highlighted a distinction in the inflammatory profile between groups, where PC explained 56.6% of the alterations. Our findings suggest that maternal exposure to CHIKV can affect the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines during the infants’ first year of life. The long-term clinical consequences of these findings should be investigated.
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