Prenatal Stress Leads to Intrauterine Dysfunction: The Role of Microbes and Microglia

Prenatal stress is deleterious to both mother and fetus and is associated with offspring neurodevelopmental deficits. There is emerging evidence that disruption of the maternal gut microbiome and subsequent immunomodulation is a potential mechanism by which prenatal stress affects neurodevelopment. Previously, we demonstrated that prenatal stress induced fetal neuroinflammation and adult offspring social behavioral deficits, but not in the absence of the chemokine CCL2. However, the specific role of CCL2 in the intrauterine environment and its interplay with maternal microbes remains to be elucidated.