Vertical transmission of respiratory syncytial virus modulates pre- and postnatal innervation and reactivity of rat airways.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Environmental exposure to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory infections in infants, but it remains unknown whether this infection is transmitted transplacentally from the lungs of infected mothers to the offspring. We sought to test the hypothesis that RSV travels from the respiratory tract during pregnancy, crosses the placenta to the fetus, persists in the lung tissues of the offspring, and modulates pre- and postnatal expression of growth factors, thereby predisposing to airway hyperreactivity.

Methodology

Pregnant rats were inoculated intratracheally at midterm using recombinant RSV expressing red fluorescent protein (RFP). Viral RNA was amplified by RT-PCR and confirmed by sequencing. RFP expression was analyzed by flow cytome

SUBMITTER: Piedimonte G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3630224 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature