Biopathology of the dentate-olivary complex in sudden unexplained perinatal death and sudden infant death syndrome related to maternal cigarette smoking.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was aimed to evaluate the possible presence of cytohistologic and/or biologic modifications of the human dentate-olivary complex in sudden unexplained perinatal and infant deaths.


METHODS
We investigated the histologic morphology of the dentate and inferior olivary nuclei, the glial index, the c-fos and apoptotic immunopositivity, as well as the possible effects elicited by maternal cigarette smoking, in 44 cases of perinatal and infant death victims, aged from the 26th gestational week to 10 months of life.


RESULTS
We observed subtle alterations of both the medullary inferior olivary nucleus and of the cerebellar dentate nucleus, represented by a significant increase in the reactive astrocyte density and in the neuronal c-fos and apoptotic expression in unexplained death victims, compared with age-matched controls. These alterations were closely related to a maternal cigarette smoking habit.


CONCLUSIONS
We postulate that maternal smoking, besides inducing the previously demonstrated morpho-functional alterations of the autonomic central nervous system, could also exert an adverse influence on the dentate-olivary complex, leading to sudden death in vulnerable periods of perinatal development or early infancy.
Lavezzi
Anna Maria
AM
Institute of Pathology, Lino Rossi Research Center, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. anna.lavezzi@unimi.it
Ottaviani
Giulia
G
Mauri
Maria
M
Matturri
Luigi
L
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002529:Cerebellar Nuclei / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005333:Fetus; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009847:Olivary Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*
D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos