Influence of prenatal corticosteroids on bacterial colonization in the newborn rat

The interactions between bacteria and the host's intestinal barrier appear to be important regulators of bacterial colonization. In this study we investigated the effect of prenatal corticosteroids, known to accelerate the intestinal maturation of newborn rats, on bacterial colonization in the rat pup. Pregnant rats were treated with either cortisone acetate or normal saline on days 18-21 of gestation and were allowed to deliver spontaneously. The pups, after normal delivery, were sacrificed at different times during the first 10 days of life. The entire small intestine was removed, and each lumen was flushed to exclude nonadherent, transient organisms and homogenized. Tenfold dilutions were plated on horse-blood agar (total bacteria) and MacConkey's medium (gram-negatives). Quantitation and bacterial typification was determined after 24 h of incubation at 37 degrees C. Total bacteria and gram-negatives found in association with the mucosa were significantly lower in pups prenatally treated with steroids. These changes were not related to any changes in motility or intraluminal digestion. This suggests that the developmental condition of the host's intestinal barrier may be an important regulator of the bacterial microenvironment of the newborn small intestinal mucosa.