Inflammatory response to titanium dioxide particles exposure is enhanced during pregnancy

Rationale: Maternal immune responses can promote allergy development in offspring. Pilot data show that neonates of mother mice exposed during pregnancy to air pollution particles have increased allergic susceptibility. Objective: We investigated whether inflammatory response to titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles earlier considered immunologically inert is enhanced during pregnancy. Methods: Pregnant BALB/c mice (or non-pregnant controls) received particle suspensions intranasally at day 14 of pregnancy. Lung inflammatory responses were evaluated 19 and 48 h after exposure. Results: Pregnant mice showed robust and persistent acute inflammatory responses after exposure to TiO2, while non-pregnant females had the expected minimal responses. Genomic profiling identified genes differentially expressed in pregnant lungs exposed to TiO2. Neonates of mothers exposed to TiO2 (but not PBS) developed increased susceptibility to allergens. Conclusion: Pregnancy enhances lung inflammatory responses to otherwise relatively innocuous inert particles.

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Fedulov AV, Leme A, Yang Z, Dahl M, Lim R, Mariani TJ, Kobzik L