Effects of maternal exposure to LPS on the inflammatory response in the offspring

To investigate the effects of maternal infection on the offspring's inflammatory response, pups born to LPS- or saline-treated dams were stimulated with LPS or saline, and the expression of cytokines and chemokines was examined. We found that at P21, pups born to LPS-treated dams exhibited diminished serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and inhibited mRNA levels of cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, and chemokines, including MIP-1β, MIP-2, and KC, in the brain, as compared to pups born to saline-treated dams at 2 h following LPS stimulation. Our results suggest that maternal infection suppresses the offspring's inflammatory response to LPS.