Chorioamnionitis induced by intraamniotic lipopolysaccharide resulted in an interval-dependent increase in central nervous system injury in the fetal sheep.
OBJECTIVE
We quantified the impact of chorioamnionitis on both the white and gray matter structures of the preterm ovine central nervous system (CNS).


METHODS
The CNS was studied at 125 days of gestation, either 2 or 14 days after the intraamniotic administration of 10 mg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (Escherichia coli) or saline. Apoptotic cells and cell types were analyzed in the brain, cerebellum, and spinal cord using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Apoptosis and microglial activation increased in all regions with prolonged exposure to LPS-induced chorioamnionitis. Astrocytes were increased in the brain and cerebellum of LPS-exposed fetuses but not in the spinal cord. Mature oligodendrocytes decreased in the cerebral and cerebellar white matter, the cerebral cortex, caudate putamen, and hippocampus 14 days after LPS. Neurons in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and substantia nigra were reduced 14 days after LPS.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal inflammation globally but differentially affected the CNS depending on the maturational stage of the brain region.
Gavilanes
A W Danilo
AW
Department of Pediatrics-Neonatology, University Hospital Maastricht, in collaboration with the Research Institute of Growth and Development (GROW), Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Strackx
Eveline
E
Kramer
Boris W
BW
Gantert
Markus
M
Van den Hove
Daniël
D
Steinbusch
Hellen
H
Garnier
Yves
Y
Cornips
Erwin
E
Steinbusch
Harry
H
Zimmermann
Luc
L
Vles
Johan
J
D000650:Amnion; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D007267:Injections; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011247:Pregnancy; D012756:Sheep; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides