Pathogen-Toxicant Interactions in Fetal Membranes: Implications for Preterm Birth - CANCELED

Guest Speaker: Sean Harris, University of Michigan

"Pathogen-Toxicant Interactions in Fetal Membranes: Implications for Preterm Birth"

Environmental toxicants can influence immune responses to bacterial infection. However, little is known about this interaction during pregnancy. We used a tissue culture model of the fetal membranes to investigate combined exposures to a common pathogenic bacteria and an environmental contaminant, trichloroethylene. Our results show that trichloroethylene metabolites have an immunosuppressive effect in fetal membranes. These results provide important information about how environmental toxicants mediate responses to pathogenic infection during pregnancy.