title: Changes in fetal thymic immune cell populations in a sheep model of intrauterine inflammation.
abstract: Intrauterine inflammation is a common antecedent of preterm birth and can alter the development of the fetal thymus, the site of development, and maturation of T lymphocytes. The effects of intrauterine inflammation on specific thymic T lymphocyte populations are largely unknown. We hypothesized that intrauterine inflammation would alter fetal thymic T cell populations. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantitate the relative proportions of thymic cortical and medullary cell populations in fetal sheep 7 days after intra-amniotic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. The proportions of CD8⁺and MHC II⁺ cells in the fetal thymus were reduced in response to LPS. The ratio of CD4:CD8 cells was increased by LPS exposure. No changes were observed in the percentage of CD4⁺, γδ(WC1)⁺, CD45R⁺B cells, or CD44⁺ cells. These studies indicate that intrauterine inflammation impacts thymic composition of CD8 T cells and the development and/or activation of CD4 T cells in the fetal thymus.
authors.affiliation: The Ritchie Centre, Monash Institute of Medical Research, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia. jacqueline.melville@monash.edu
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Melville
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Els N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Meeusen
authors.forename: Alana J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Westover
authors.forename: Timothy J M
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000209:etiology; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides